Hide and Seek

Artist Statement

‘Hide and Seek’ features two species endemic to the island of Cozumel; the Splendid Toadfish, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and the Yagerocaris Cozumel. Unlike other Toadfish, the Splendid Toadfish can be identified by its vibrant colors and resides in coral outcroppings around the island. The island of Cozumel has suffered much devastation at the hands of mass tourism that sees up to and over 1000 cruise ships bringing 1.5 million people to the island each year. Without education, these visitors have contributed to the rapid destruction of the surrounding reef and thus the habitat of marine life including the Splendid Toadfish. I’ve used the statement “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” to highlight the critical junction we’ve reached with many threatened species. Once these species die out we’ll not see them again.

The Focus

Conservation of endemic species