I found my inspiration for this creation after I had been looking through some old photo’s of my travels in Chile. The photo’s were taken from a visit to the worlds biggest open pit copper mine called Chuquicamata.
The size and depth of the open pit is so immense, it can be seen from space, and is a by product from the removal of over 30 million tonnes of copper alone.
I have been involved in a movement trying to bring about an awareness to the issue of peak oil, and was shocked by the facts which suggest that more oil has been pumped out of the earth than what is left below the surface, with the rate of production entering terminal decline.
Peak Oil is forcing the oil companies to drill deeper to find new wells, which in turn is going raise the cost of bringing oil to the surface. That cost will have drastic ramifications to our way of life and to the planet itself.
In this art piece, the exquisite black box and gold trappings embedded, represent the earth, with all the oil and gold that seems so appealing to man.
The Yin and Yang fret markers tapering up the neck represents the equal and opposite reaction that will take place from the exploitation of mother earth. The good luck coin immersed in the headstock, means just that.
SCALE LENGTH: 20 1/8 ‘’ 511mm
ELECTRIC, RIGHT HANDED, 14 FRETTED, BARITONE UKULELE.