Roger Peet

Roger Peet
Baiji
$65
20"x37"

This is the Yangtze river dolphin, known in China as the Baiji. One of the world's few species of freshwater dolphin, and now one with the snows of yesteryear. The Baiji's habitat was destroyed by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, its prey species were wiped out as a result of overfishing, and it suffered huge losses to boat traffic, pollution, and probably existential malaise. What's so important about this creature? Why should anyone care? These are questions that I pose to myself when making these pieces about extinct animals. These beautiful, graceful creatures were around on this planet for more than ten million years. They lived lives of swift elegance in the muddy Yangtze water, curling and spiralling through the turbidity and chaos of spring floods. They snapped up their meals of fish with their long, toothy beaks clacking like chopsticks. Like many beautiful lost things, they were eliminated not necessarily by human rapaciousness, but by the byproducts of human industrial development and overpopulation. People didn't kill the Baiji off, but they made it impossible for the Baiji to survive. Who is responsible? We all are. This is what we do. Not to beat a dead horse, but the baiji is a victim of humanity. Our essence is this death. We are truly become gods, destroyers of worlds, but we've no need of atomic bombs to do the work; it can be accomplished just as well with simple household tools and a prideful smile. We are the losers, if only because only we can be tortured by the knowledge of what we have done.

Blockprint on acid-free mulberry paper
signed/numbered