Cristina Zenato Instagram – On the box of hooks
When I post about the hooks I remove from the sharks I work with and images of the box where I collect them, I receive ideas to transform the hooks into jewelry to sell for fundraising for my work or, better, for other people’s work, to compose them into a work of art, to transform them into a powerful piece to show the impact we have on sharks.
Each time, I answer the same: thank you for the idea, but through my work and advocacy, I know that the box in itself, with all the scratches, all the hooks, all the pain, and all the relief shown in one place is the most potent piece of art that could represent what I am trying to do for the sharks and what is our impact in negative but also positive as individuals.
The box comes from China; it was gifted to me years back when I was invited to help officials campaign against shark fin soup on a national scale (for those who don’t believe that people are doing something in China against their traditions.)
To their horror, I showed up with my hooks bundled in a bag, and right away, they purchased and gifted me this jewelry box for me to collect and display them in a more powerful way.
It’s the box of hope. Hope because I have witnessed many times how the cultures that many point the finger at for the demise of sharks (who are not the only ones responsible) are indeed working to change the trend. Hope that individuals are making a change for the better in their world, hope that the way sharks are perceived might change, but also hope that as people we create more communication for a better solution, instead of finding a blame.
It has wowed countless classrooms, groups, and audiences of different ages and backgrounds with its simplicity and powerful message that, yes, we are a danger to these animals, but each one of us has a way to change the course of our actions for a better outcome. | Posted on 12/Dec/2023 17:29:09
