The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2022 Science Without Borders® Challenge, our annual student art competition. This year we asked students to create a piece of art that illustrates one or more actions that governments, non-profits, park managers, and indigenous communities can take to preserve coral reefs using a ridge to reef approach to conservation. We are thrilled with the entries that we received!
We received 510 qualifying pieces of artwork from 49 different countries, so picking the finalists was a difficult decision. Ultimately, finalists were chosen based on how well the artwork exemplified this year’s theme, the quality of the artwork, and the creativity and originality of their artwork.
We hope you will be as impressed with the submissions we received as we were. Without further ado, here are the finalists for Ages 11-14 of the 2022 Science Without Borders® Challenge:
Third Place (11-14): "Marine Protected Areas" by Twiggy Chen, Age 14, Canada
ARTIST'S STATEMENT: Governments create marine protected areas to shield threatened marine ecosystems from invasive human activity. These areas are often taken care of by governments for the purpose of conservation and scientific research. The three figures in my piece celebrate after seeing the progress of their replanted coral. The figures are arranged in a circle representing unity and togetherness. Saving the coral reefs cannot be done alone but will instead require a team effort. The image is further tied together by bright complementary colours, creating both harmony and interest. The arrangement of the figures and colours match their celebratory expressions and body language. The ocean environment is a serious issue, but its preservation is something to be enjoyed as we create the world we want for our future. I hope this piece inspires people to help create more marine protected areas around the world.
