Icarus
Drawing upon the story of the escape from Crete by Icarus and his father, Daedalus, the usage of the son’s fall has become a classic example of hubris. Seeking their freedom from imprisonment by King Minos, Daedalus fashioned wings from feathers and wax so that they may fly from the island. Icarus is warned not to fly too near the sun for the wax will melt. This advice goes unheeded and Icarus plunges to his death in the sea.
The wish to act simply as one pleases, irreverent of the consequences, has led us, as a people, into an era of dire environmental standing. The reverse of this kylix departs from the attic painting style, acting as an indication of the contemporary nature of climate change and its effects. In May of 2008, the United States Interior Department placed the polar bear on the endangered species list, making it the first animal to need protection due to global warning. Perhaps new leadership in the U.S. will follow the environmentally-minded developments established in the European Union. while the “green” fad has hit hard here, the deciding factor will be the sustainability of the sustainability movement.
Note: The polar ice cap is retracting a rate of 9% per decade. This is by far the greatest loss of ice in measurable history.