Siempre silvestres
Papercraft exhibition to foster collaboration between disciplines in biodiversity conservation.
About the project
Team: Andrea Peralta, Juan Sebastián Páez
This project was based on my undergraduate thesis, where I collaborated with the Asociación Primatológica Colombiana to design a communication strategy aimed at broadening the reach of the association’s messages.
The project approaches design both as a method and a tool to foster dialogue between the scientific community and diverse audiences. Its primary focus is to leverage the arts as a means to promote conservation, enriching and diversifying the language currently used.
I led the strategy design and created the 3D papercraft illustrations, while Juan Sebastián Páez, a fellow designer, was responsible for the 2D paper illustrations.
Context
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, yet it ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest rates of deforestation.
A lack of awareness and understanding of biodiversity-related issues remains one of the greatest obstacles to its conservation.
Insights and objectives after research and collaborative work
Project deliverables according to objectives:
Exhibition
Aimed at unspecialized audiences and atractive to creatives
video
Documenting the process and encouraging the development of interdisciplinary projects.
Moodboard
format + material
Since dioramas have long been used in science communication and primary education, this format aligned well with the project’s objectives and narrative. The exhibition was crafted from paper, a fragile material that beautifully captures the life, color, and vibrancy of nature. Its ability to evoke awe and wonder in both adults and children makes it a perfect fit for the project.
Species illustration
All papercraft illustrations were based on scientific photography and illustrations. We adapted this visual language into paper by simplifying the forms while preserving the most essential characteristics of each species. The species were selected according to the association’s priorities and interests. All illustrated vegetation was thoughtfully curated to represent the plants and fruits found in each animal’s natural habitat.
Great green macaw
Ara ambiguus
These macaws are found from Honduras to Colombia. In Colombia they live in the northern part of the ‘Serranía de Baudó’, and the west of the Andes, east part of the ‘Valle del Sinú’.
They are the second heaviest macaw species, with an average weight of 1.3kg (2.9lb). They can measure around 80 to 90 cm in length and their wingspan can reach up to 120cm.
This species is highly threatened by wildlife traffic, they are used as exotic pets and entertainment. Please don’t support tourism that employs wildlife, and don’t take pictures of you or anyone else manipulating wildlife. You can help reduce wildlife traffic, which is the third largest illegal market after drug traffic and illegal arms trade.
Woolly monkey
Lagothrix lagothricha
They can be found in Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Brazil. In Colombia they live in the Amazon and the Orinoquía. They are very social animals, living in large groups of many females and males. They are one of the largest species of monkeys in America. Because of their size and their strong mandibles, this monkeys can swallow seeds of large fruits, that other species couldn’t eat
Woolly monkeys are great at dispersing seeds, they can disperse around 200 different plant species, this contributes to the diversity of forests. These monkeys move long distances in the forests, when seeds are taken far from their original tree they are more likely to grow. Large seeds eaten by woolly monkeys turn into large trees that capture more CO2.
Nancymaa's owl monkey
Aotus nancymaae
This species lives in the tropical forests of the Colombian, Peruvian and Brazilian amazon. Night monkeys have large eyes that allow more light in during the night. They also have accelerated nerve impulses, to and from the receptors of the retina, this helps them see more instantly. These characteristics make them very agile, they can even catch insects during flight.
They form couples that last their entire life, and live in family groups of a couple and their offspring. One of the main threats for this species is their use in medical experimentation, because they have an immune system similar to the human one. Unfortunately, because of this, and for being used as pets, they are victims of wildlife traffic.
Making of and exhibition
