Get ready to be inspired! The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is delighted to reveal the finalists of the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge. This year’s theme is “The Sixth Extinction,” and we challenged young artists from around the world to create a piece of artwork that highlights the beauty and importance of a marine species that are on the brink of extinction. We are thrilled with the entries that we received!
Over 1,200 entries flooded in from 67 different countries, and let us tell you, it was no easy feat to choose the finalists. But after much deliberation, our judges have selected finalists whose exceptional artwork surpassed all expectations in terms of creativity, originality, and adherence to the theme.
The submissions were simply breathtaking, and we can’t wait for you to see them. So, without further ado, here are the finalists for Ages 11-14 of the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge. These talented artists will leave you in awe with their remarkable creations that bring attention to the urgency of preserving our treasured marine species.
"The Menu" by Yitian Wang, Age 13, China
ARTIST'S STATEMENT: My piece is a menu. Menus could mean “luxury”, “joyfulness” and it provides a lot of options. I choose to put the Great Hammerhead into the menu and to make it a popular main dish. I used a flattering way to illustrate information on the menu, contrasting with violence in the background, giving the whole picture a sense of sarcasm as viewers look at this picture closely. The Great Hammerhead is facing severe problems like global warming, littering and worst of all: over-fishing. I chose to research on Great Hammerhead because of their unique appearance. Shark fins are the only reason people hunt sharks. It is considered a delicacy in many cuisines, despite it being nutritionally lacking. The shark fin will be beautifully placed in dishes for people to take photos while the finless shark sinks to the bottom of the ocean.
