Origami Extinction - Vaquita (2019) Fotografie door Vethan Sautour

The aim of the "Origami Extinction" photographic series is to raise awareness on the disappearance and endangerment of animal species by closing the gap between subject and viewer.

Through shapes, shadows and textures, I photograph a number of origami equivalent to the remainder of existing individuals of a given species to enable the spectator to apprehend in a visual, instantaneous manner the danger of their imminent extinction. Instead of shock value, poetry and beauty have been considered a more efficient tool for reaching a lasting effect on onlookers and spur interest.

The artistic objective is to confer an intellectual reality to these beings, so as to raise empathy, understanding and stir viewers into action. Whilst the hues are representative of the animals' true shades and environment, the blank spaces draw their influence from Japanese traditional "nihonga" art, in which artists used to leave a part of the canvas empty for the onlooker to be able to project his thoughts and contemplate his soul.

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The vaquita is the rarest marine animal in the world, being on the verge of extinction with only about 10 individuals remaining.

As many other cetaceans, their downfall is caused by acts of illegal fishing perpetrated in marine protected areas of Mexico's Gulf of California. Being caught in gill nets, they get entangled and drown. In July 2017, a federal agreement banned gillnets, but illegal acts remain to be controlled.

The same year, was created Vaquita CPR, a multi-million dollar project, aiming to transfer all remaining individuals in protected sea pens to guarantee their safety, until they can live freely in the wild once again.

10% of each sale will be donated to the Vaquita CPR.

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