The Big Migration. Acrylic on canvas 76.2 x 76.2 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

I have been thinking carefully about this work for the past two years, and the vision that it contains came to fruition while intermittently working on it over the past year.

The Big Migration is a surrealist painting depicting a fantastical migration of humanity through the solar system, but it also carries a deeper message about environmental damage and overpopulation. The painting shows a mass exodus of humans and animals from an earth that had become uninhabitable due to these issues. The creatures in the painting are fleeing their dying world and seeking a new home. However, every new planet they settle on also faces the same fate as Earth. The surrealism in the painting represents the absurdity of the situation, where humans are blindly repeating their mistakes instead of finding sustainable solutions. The surreal imagery emphasizes the gravity of the situation, and it serves as a warning against the continued neglect of our planet. The Big Migration urges viewers to consider the consequences of their actions and to take steps to protect the environment for future generations.