The response to our 2024 Science Without Borders® Challenge has been overwhelming! We’ve been blown away by the sheer number of submissions we received from aspiring young artists worldwide. Earlier this week, we proudly unveiled the finalists in the 11-14 age group, and now we’re ecstatic to announce the finalists in the 15-19 year-old category.
These young artists hail from all corners of the globe, including Canada, India, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. You will be amazed at their incredible artwork and how well they captured the essence of the theme, “Hidden Wonders of the Deep.” In their artwork, students portrayed a variety of deep-sea creatures, such as anglerfish, strawberry squid, basket stars, Japanese spider crabs, oarfish, and tubeworms. They also depicted mysterious deep-sea environments like whale falls and hydrothermal vents. We were amazed by these students’ creativity, execution of the theme, and artistic abilities.
Without further ado, please meet our talented 15-19 year old finalists! These exceptional artists have not only showcased their incredible talents, but also their unwavering passion for marine conservation.
Third Place (15-19): "Look Into The Light" by Jiayi (Jenny) Xu, Age 15, United States of America
Artist's Statement: For this painting I created an ominous, frontal composition of an angler fish luring its surrounding creatures such as mantis shrimps and squid. I imagined what it must be like to live in an environment with the absence of light that’s filled with danger lurking in every corner. The bioluminescent lure of the angler fish creates light where there is none, becoming a transcendent object of otherworldly admiration/impending doom for those that become hypnotized by its wonder. The scene is emphasized by the hydrothermal vent and the imagined light rings that would both blind and captivate the unsuspecting prey. I also recently stumbled upon brand new discoveries of previously unknown species in the abyssopelagic zone under the sea as well as in Chile that I incorporated into my piece. In researching the deep seas, I was truly amazed at how forms of life can not only adapt to extreme environments
