On Sept. 17, 1787, representatives from 13 struggling sovereign states signed a groundbreaking document on behalf of “We, the People of the United States.” In 52 words that revolutionized the world’s concept of government, those representatives proclaimed their intent to create, from their feuding ranks, one nation dedicated to justice, peace, security, health, safety and liberty for its people and their descendants.

Today, we face a different, though no less destiny-defining, crisis: our way of life is knocking Earth seriously out of balance. The respected International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that more than 32,000 animal species are threatened with extinction. And populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have declined an average 68% since 1970, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Earth’s biodiversity is dwindling, even as evidence mounts that timely conservation measures work!

Artist Carolyn Peirce responded to this challenge by creating collages of recycled cardboard, magazines and calendars highlighting 13 vulnerable and endangered species, each of which is featured in this exhibition. At once playful and serious, her artwork beckons us to rebalance our broken relationship to nature – in short, to revolutionize how we care for our Earth.

Graphic design by Natasha Votypka. All materials in this exhibition are copyrighted. ©Open Space Institute, Inc./Honoring the Future 2020. Please respect this copyright and those of the artists who have generously contributed images to this exhibition.