In Chapter Three of The Origin of Species, Darwin writes:

There is no exception to the rule that every organic being naturally increases
at so high a rate, that if not destroyed, the earth would soon be covered by
the progeny of a single pair.

Darwin goes on to describe the relatively short span of time it might take a slow breeding animal like the elephant to become densely populated if every individual survived and reproduced. My first idea for a print was to depict a naturally solitary species, such as the polar bear, so overpopulated as to fill the picture plane with a solid mass of bodies.

I eventually chose humans as my subject, since we seem to have the best chance of covering the earth with our progeny. (Darwin states that “even slow-breeding man has doubled in twenty-five years.”) Drawing from snapshots taken at the beach, at public events, and at gatherings of family and friends I created a crowd of figures packed onto a seven by nine inch wood block. In some respects the image is playful. Looking over the faces in the crowd might bring to mind the “Where’s Waldo” books. In the process of drawing, carving, and printing the blocks, I developed feelings of affection for this group of figures. But, although the figures may be charming, I would not wish to be part of this crowd.

The quote printed along the edges of the image is intended to balance its lighter and more playful qualities. The text adds a contrasting element to what otherwise could simply be a depiction of people at a county fair or a sporting event. The text is deliberately difficult to read so as not to completely dominate and shape a viewer’s first impression of the image. It is my hope that the print will be appreciated as an object of beauty, as an entertaining diversion, and as a more sober reminder that there are limits to the amount of growth that can or should be sustained.

-Ursula West Minervini