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Pedro Marzorati’s striking installation comments on climate change

Last updated: April 16, 2025
Installations, Sculptures, Statues
Activist art, Art & climate change, Art & Nature, Art about global warming, Art in public, Artworks & exhibitions in Paris, Face sculptures, Human sculptures, Montsouris Park, Pedro Marzorati, Site-specific art, Water in art
2 min read
Pedro Marzorati - Where the Tides Ebb and Flow 4
1 Pedro Marzorati – Where the Tides Ebb and Flow, photo: CC BY 2.0 2 by DymphieH 3
    • 1.Introduction
    • 2.What is the meaning of the work?
    • 3.Addressing climate change
    • 4.Analysis

Introduction

As you walk through Paris 1 and especially in the Montsouris Park, one cannot help but notice the blue busts that appear to be rising from under the surface of the water. This artwork is known as Where the Tides Ebb and Flow created by Pedro Marzorati 2, an Argentinian artist.

Pedro Marzorati - Where the Tides Ebb and Flow 4
4 Pedro Marzorati – Where the Tides Ebb and Flow, photo: CC BY 2.0 5 by DymphieH 6

What is the meaning of the work?

This is a commentary on how the water 3 levels in the earth’s sea bodies continue to rise due to climate change. The level of submersion of the various sculptures indicates the level of impact that global warming is having in different parts of the world.

The sequence in which the sculptures are arranged indicates that the human forms will be completely below the water as time goes by. The use of blue for the sculptures is deliberate and so is the number of sculptures used. The work shows that poetic activism can be just as effective if not more powerful than verbal advocacy.

Pedro Marzorati - Where the Tides Ebb and Flow 4
7 Pedro Marzorati – Where the Tides Ebb and Flow, photo: CC BY 2.0 8 by DymphieH 9

Addressing climate change

The world today faces many challenges, one of which is climate change due to human activity. Is there something that can be done to protect the environment from self-destruction?

The future of the continent depends on the actions of its inhabitants, but a visual that can be seen all the time communicates this message better. For Pedro, a striking installation is the only way this message of climate disturbances can be addressed.

YouTube video
8 min 6 sec

Analysis

Pedro Marzorati, in many instances, uses ordinary objects to interpret various world events. In a way, his works appeal to the subconscious and subsequently leave the audience in deep thought about problems facing humanity.

By creating concern for the universe, the artist sends out warnings about what would happen if destructive activities are not stopped. To use a statue 4 to demonstrate human destruction is the closest form of personal intervention and many artists are taking up this technique.

It might not be possible to project accurately the stages of destruction that adverse global warming is going to have. Still, the statues will continue to give a warning even to future generations.

Pedro Marzorati - Where the Tides Ebb and Flow 4
10 Pedro Marzorati – Where the Tides Ebb and Flow, photo: CC BY 2.0 11 by DymphieH 12

Citation

Footnotes

1. https://publicdelivery.org/tag/paris/
2. https://publicdelivery.org/tag/pedro-marzorati/
3. https://publicdelivery.org/tag/water-art/
4. https://publicdelivery.org/category/sculpture/statue/
1. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Pedro-Marzorati-Where-the-Tides-Ebb-and-Flow-1-scaled.jpg ↩
2. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ ↩
3. https://www.flickr.com/people/88526197@N00/ ↩
4. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Pedro-Marzorati-Where-the-Tides-Ebb-and-Flow-2-scaled.jpg ↩
5. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ ↩
6. https://www.flickr.com/people/88526197@N00/ ↩
7. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Pedro-Marzorati-Where-the-Tides-Ebb-and-Flow-3-scaled.jpg ↩
8. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ ↩
9. https://www.flickr.com/people/88526197@N00/ ↩
10. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Pedro-Marzorati-Where-the-Tides-Ebb-and-Flow-4-scaled.jpg ↩
11. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ ↩
12. https://www.flickr.com/people/88526197@N00/ ↩
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