The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) recently brought its campaign against plastic pollution, “Oceans are Fitter without Our Litter,” to the art exhibit for biodiversity and autism awareness in Taguig City, Philippines.
The campaign supports the commitments of the Asean member-states (AMS) to the Bangkok Declaration Combating Marine Debris in the Asean region, issued at the 34th Asean Summit held in June this year.
The ACB, in partnership with the Center for Possibilities Foundation (CPF), held an exhibit for a cause at the Enderun Colleges in Taguig City, featuring 40 paintings of Samantha Kaspar, a 22-year-old artist with autism.
With themes on biodiversity and environment depicted on Samantha’s artworks, the exhibition highlights the rich biodiversity, the variety, and variability of life in the Southeast Asian region, and the importance of conserving and protecting it.
The logo of ACB’s campaign against plastic pollution features Samantha’s painting of an iconic sea turtle.
“Plastic pollution is a serious threat to biodiversity with 1 million seabirds and over 100,000 marine animals die from plastic pollution every year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme,” ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim said in her speech before an audience comprising members of the private sector, government officials and dignitaries.
Plastic bags have an uncanny resemblance to jelly fish, which is a food for sea turtles. Marine plastic debris is threatening the population of sea turtles.
Of the seven species of marine turtles in the world, three are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered species and another three as critically endangered. Six of the species of marine turtles are found in Southeast Asia.
“We are urging all of you to support the ACB’s campaign against plastic pollution. Without the marine animals, we won’t have any more inspiration for Samantha to paint,” Lim said.
Lim added that each AMS is working toward the reduction and prevention of marine debris.
Antoinette Taus, who was recently designated by the United Nations Environment Programme as its National Goodwill Ambassador for the Philippines, was the emcee of the exhibit’s program.
Gracing the exhibit were Switzerland’s Ambassador to the Philippines Alain Gaschen, Czech Republic’s Ambassador to the Philippines Jana Sediva, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. of Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West.
“Let us, through our individual and collective efforts, reduce our consumption of single-use plastic like plastic bottles… Let us encourage each other and our leaders in our communities, in the private sector, and in our respective nations, to initiate transformative change for clean and thriving aquatic ecosystems,” said Lim.
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Samantha finds expression through visual art, and inspiration from nature and biodiversity. Using either watercolor or acrylic on canvas and piña cloth, Samantha’s style has piqued the interests of art enthusiasts.
She has been invited to display her artwork at the Fashion Arts Autism Benefit in New York, and other various exhibitions in the Philippines and abroad.
“Samantha’s work tells us the value of nature in art and well-being. Nature fuels passion and creativity among artists, enabling them to create artwork that raises awareness and appreciation of our rich biodiversity,” Lim said.
The exhibit also featured a short concert featuring performances by Samantha, students from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet.
“Aside from painting, Sam has many other talents. What’s puzzling is that she barely talks to anyone. She speaks a few words but when she sings, she utters every line clearly and beautifully,” said Michelle Kaspar, Samantha’s mother.
Samantha’s painting of the Medinilla theresae, a newly discovered plant species that only grows in Mindanao, was unveiled. The rare plant species was named after Lim, a wildlife advocate and former director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Philippines’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Proceeds from this benefit exhibit will go the projects of the ACB and CPF.
The dinner at the event was prepared by the chef instructors and students of world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse’s Ducasse Education Philippines.
Image credits: ACB