Fading Out to Exhibition

The project uses quantitative biodiversity data: IUCN Red List categories (Least Concern to Critically Endangered), population trends, percentage decline over time, assessment years, and geographic range size. Temporal data determines how quickly and intensely each species fades.

All data comes from the International Union for Conservation of Nature through the IUCN Red List database. Species assessments provide structured numeric indicators and documented status shifts.

The data will be compiled into a dataset that directly drives material transformation in the installation. Opacity, fragmentation, or physical erosion will correspond to actual decline metrics, ensuring that visual disappearance is not metaphorical decoration but a precise translation of documented ecological loss.

The data becomes experiential through a physical installation of 3 pieces similar to light boxes where species forms are printed and layered in translucent material that gradually fades out based on the real decline metrics. Each piece is for a specific time that spans out through a century of 'Past' (1970), 'Present' (2020), and 'Future' (2070). This is not a participatory data visualization; the project leans more towards an installation. The project, more than raising questions, wants the users to notice that many species that we may or may not be aware of are fading out silently while we make noise for some of the flagship species, like the tiger, and such. An ecosystem cannot survive with just the flagship species or the ones that look beautiful; all of them are needed, yet many are disappearing, and it's high time we notice and stand up for them.

The project/installation only needs a table and a power source, preferably an extension box with at least 3 plug points.

This is an existing work and can be installed anywhere by anyone.