Sachi Bridgeford
Consequences 2023
handcrafted clay, melted glass and beads
Kardinia International College, VCE Art Creative Practice
Artist statement:
I created this sculpture to raise awareness around coral bleaching and to emphasise the pivotal role that humans play in driving this destruction, as well as the pivotal role that we can play to solve it. All my life I’ve lived next to the ocean, and I’ve been lucky enough to travel up north and visit the Great Barrier Reef. Sadly, I witnessed the vast extent of coral bleaching and was shocked to learn that 91% of the reef is damaged. This experience has instilled a passion within me to help conserve our natural world.
I intentionally created a natural landscape of colourful, lavish coral opposite the skull to showcase the abundance and thriving life that reefs hold. The pieces become smaller, shorter and discoloured to suggest the stages of coral bleaching and humanity’s responsibility and demise if coral reefs die. By including a piece of coral growing out of the skull, I aim to highlight that we can solve this worldwide issue collectively, everyone doing their small part to create a big difference.