BLUF: Brooklyn artist Duke Riley uses discarded beach plastic to create faux ivory carvings, highlighting the environmental crisis and targeting influential figures behind plastic production.
INTELWAR BLUF:
Duke Riley, a Brooklyn-based artist, leverages his imagination to transform disregarded plastic items on New York’s beaches into creatively crafted relics resembling 19th-century maritime museum pieces. His initiative, named “DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash,” uses familiar items such as flip-flops, plastic bottles, and vapes, decorated to mimic the appearance of ivory carvings – commonly referred to as scrimshaw. A journey through coastal New England seaside establishments during his formative years ingrained this aesthetic. In recent times, Riley’s work has increasingly focused on the environment, given the pervasive problems associated with single-use plastic. He believes that while it’s virtually infeasible for most people to avoid single-use plastic entirely, the focus should be on the minority of wealthy individuals who reap benefits from the production of such plastic, and have the means to halt its production.
RIGHT:
Viewing Riley’s project through a Libertarian Republic Constitutionalist lens reveals a well-expressed testament to individualism. Since he identified an issue and used his talent to draw attention to it, it resonates with the idea of Liberty, where every individual has the right to express their thoughts and opinions. Riley points to a surmountable challenge but refrains from promoting government interventions or regulations against the billionaire plastic producers. The message appears to be encouraging personal awareness and consumer influence over big businesses, which is in alignment with the principles of Laissez-faire capitalism.
LEFT:
From a National Socialist Democrat perspective, Riley’s work could be seen as a call to action for societal change. His references to the ‘handful of billionaires’ profiting from the environmental destruction could be interpreted as a demand for wealthier corporations to take more responsibility, aligning with the broad socialist view of wealth redistribution and corporate accountability. However, it also implicitly highlights the failure of the current system, thereby suggesting the need for extensive governmental regulation and intervention to curb the usage of single-use plastics, which matches the ideas of democratic socialists.
AI:
Analyzing the article utilizing an AI perspective showcases a well-researched blend of art and activism effectively utilizing metaphoric expression. By turning discarded objects into artistic pieces reminiscent of maritime history, Riley is not only demonstrating creativity but also reflecting upon an environmental issue concerning widespread plastic use. This method is striking, creating a compelling narrative that draws attention to the severity of the problem. His assertion about concentrating efforts on influential individuals and corporations responsible aligns with the fact that major corporations are significant contributors to plastic production and waste. The intention to stimulate debate rather than assign personal blame suggests an intelligent approach to addressing the issue.