Shark

Artist : Papa pata pata or “father flip flop” is a very active conservationist and artist. He actively volunteers at a research facility for ocean animals off the coast of africa.

Title: Named in Kiswahili as "papa shillingi" or father shillings because the sharks is called the shark covered with shillings.

Media: This sculpture is made of wire snares used by poachers to hunt elephants and is covered with the old flip flops cut into different shapes to fit.

Dimensions:  Life size whale shark sculpture (about 35ft long).

Date: October 4, 2009

Artists statement: “it takes on special significance when the work depicts wildlife species--using objects that threaten those very animals, and the environment on which they depend.( treehugger.com October 4, 2009) Background into the work: At one time he organized with the help of a large group of volunteers from the UK to clean up the beaches in Kenya. They collected over 200 bags of debri found on the beach or floating on the water. Within this debri, was over 7000 used flip flops. So father flip flop thought he could put good use to these discarded and unwanted old sandals.

How it connects: Using materials that have been laying around polluting the enviornment harming and disrupting the natural balance of these animals lives are made into something that can help benefit these animals lives in the future. 

(http://www.treehugger.com/culture/kenyan-artists-turn-dangerous-polluting-materials-into-inspiring-depictions-of-wildlife.html)