You don’t have to be an a-fish-ionado to judge this art.
Brooklynites can vote for their top three choices of designs in the New York Aquarium’s mural competition that aims to highlight the damaging effects of plastics on the ocean. Judges narrowed the field to seven finalists whose work carries a clear, ecofriendly message, said one of the judges.
“We’re trying to show that garbage is not harmless. It goes somewhere,” said Pamela Pettyjohn, who is the president of the Coney Island Beautification Project. “There were some designs that were very colorful, very intricate, but we want something that has a clear, understandable message — and these seven exemplified that.”
The panel of judges waded through 42 designs by local artists, whose fishy frescos detail the harm pollution and plastics inflict on the world’s oceans. The sprawling seascapes will be plastered onto wall along a stretch of Boardwalk near W. 10th Street.
Local conservationists hope the message will resonate with residents.
“It’s no longer reduce, reuse, recycle — it’s how do we eliminate plastics, because they’ve gotten into our ecosystem, and our food sources,” said Pettyjohn.
Brooklynites can peruse the designs, the artists’ mission statements, and vote for their top three favorites.
The aquarium hasn’t set a deadline for voting yet, but the three winning designs will be unveiled on June 8 — Worlds Ocean Day.
