Environmental Issues — Jennifer Kim Sohn

Bees,Frogs, Endangered animals

Spoonful of Honey20 x35 x3embroidery hoops, organza, thread2012Many hours were spent in hand-embroidering these bees, but they pale compared to the entire life times' work of three bees in producing a spoonful of honey. — **Spoonful of Honey**
20 x35 x3
embroidery hoops, organza, thread
2012
Many hours were spent in hand-embroidering these bees, but they pale compared to the entire life times' work of three bees in producing a spoonful of honey.

The Lost Tribe28 x 17 x 28 inchesPoultry netting, organza, thread2013A fragmented torso stands as a metaphor for the worldwide crises that the bees face: pesticides, disease bred from feeding on monocrops, and human-engineered, forced migration. As … — **The Lost Tribe**
28 x 17 x 28 inches
Poultry netting, organza, thread
2013
A fragmented torso stands as a metaphor for the worldwide crises that the bees face: pesticides, disease bred from feeding on monocrops, and human-engineered, forced migration. As if in desperation, hand-embroidered bees swarm a human-shaped, yet headless, hive.

Toxic HabitsIInstallation: varying in length 11 x 72 x 5 inchesCotton remnant, 2-liter soda bottles2010These cotton frogs are fashioned after actual deformed ones found near industrial cornfields in Minnesota. Monocrop farming, such as corn and cott… — **Toxic Habits**
IInstallation: varying in length 11 x 72 x 5 inches
Cotton remnant, 2-liter soda bottles
2010
These cotton frogs are fashioned after actual deformed ones found near industrial cornfields in Minnesota. Monocrop farming, such as corn and cotton generate massive amount of toxins and pollution: from their almost complete dependency to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides to carcinogenic bi-products from processing the crop into textile in case of cotton. However what drives these high-yield cash-crop framing is closely tied to our consumer habits. By displaying deformed frogs in 2-liter soda bottles, I aim to direct our attention to the causality of our toxic habits: choosing convenience over environmental health, fast fashion over sustainability.

World Without, triptych43w x 25h inches,Paper, thread, watercolor2018In this artwork, the silhouettes of silverback gorilla, black rhinoceros and African elephant overlap on the continent of Africa. Elephants create grassland and waterholes for zebr… — **World Without, triptych**
43w x 25h inches,
Paper, thread, watercolor
2018
In this artwork, the silhouettes of silverback gorilla, black rhinoceros and African elephant overlap on the continent of Africa. Elephants create grassland and waterholes for zebras, warthogs, cheetahs, gazelles and wildebeest and more. Black rhinos also help diversify and enrich the savanna plants and thereby grazing habitat for antelopes, zebras and gazelles. Mountain gorillas, which live in two national preserves in Uganda and Republic of Congo, thin out tropical forest canopies to balance the plant life and are one of the great seed dispersers of that ecosystem. All African wildlife will suffer when these three giants are gone.

Walk in Their ShoesInstallation: varying in sizeReclaimed shoes, photo transfer2014Displayed on the platform are Black rhinoceros’ feet on a threesome of tennis shoes, Hawksbill sea turtle flippers on sneakers, feet of Nene geese (the official bird … — **Walk in Their Shoes**
Installation: varying in size
Reclaimed shoes, photo transfer
2014
Displayed on the platform are Black rhinoceros’ feet on a threesome of tennis shoes, Hawksbill sea turtle flippers on sneakers, feet of Nene geese (the official bird of Hawaii) on women’s sandals, snow leopard’s paws on baby *Crocs*, a monarch butterfly and Macaya breast-spot frog on baby’s canvas loafers, and a mountain gorilla’s paws on boots. These are some of the animals on the critically endangered animal list that need our ardent advocacy for their habitat conservation and anti-poaching enforcement.

Give and Take: Deadly Connivance70 x 70 x 28 inchesCotton, polyester, thread2017This piece explores the complicated issues surrounding our dependency on the fossil energy industry. The two hands, in a gracious gesture of giving and taking, are not a… — **Give and Take: Deadly Connivance**
70 x 70 x 28 inches
Cotton, polyester, thread
2017
This piece explores the complicated issues surrounding our dependency on the fossil energy industry. The two hands, in a gracious gesture of giving and taking, are not as simple as they seem. The hands are composed of the logos of various oil and automobile companies. With this piece, I pose a question about how we can balance the interests of corporations, consumers and society to mitigate the toll that fossil fuels take on the health of our environment..

Fragile Package

24 x 24 x 18 inches

Packaging tape, packing bubbles, shredded paper, packing foam, box, thread

2010

Assembled in the boxes are various packaging materials: packaging tape, bubble wraps, shredded paper and foam fillers. Each item is embroidered with a frog. In our global economy, the goods we buy have often traveled some 10,000 miles from raw material to a consumer as a finished product. As the carbon footprint of our commerce increases, amphibians who breathe through their skin as well as their lungs are severely affected by the impact of escalating environmental challenges. The changing composition of our atmosphere, reduced access to fresh water, toxins and pollution in the air and the water are some of the stressors that we put on all inhabitants on Earth, including us humans.