Not Helping

airplane Earth is crashing and the oxygen mask comes down, but the dragonfly can’t use it, illustration about solastalgia and help that doesn’t help — Gwenn Seemel
*Not Helping*
2023
acrylic on panel
16 x 12 inches

How is the dragonfly feeling? What does the illustration on the bag of the oxygen mask say to you? What do the chimneys in the background mean?

When I was a kid, my mother told me that the presence of dragonflies signals a healthy environment, and the idea that one species could represent the fitness of an ecosystem captivated me. Every time I see one of these insects, I feel a twinge of hope for our rapidly warming and thoroughly polluted planet.

Do you ever worry about things that are beyond your control, only to have people tell you to “just relax”? Have you ever had someone act like they care, but then do nothing to make you feel their care? What sort of help do you actually need?

You can watch the making of Not Helping.