Icons of Sustainaissance

Abstract

Three digital paintings entitled Sustainaissance envision cultural icons—Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix—as icons of environmental sustainability. Fusing digital environmental storytelling with classical iconography, the works respond to the exhibition theme "SUSTAINAISSANCE: Emotion. Expression. Identity." Each portrait depicts its celebrity subject in a narrative tableau that connects destruction of the natural environment to symbols of renewal and rebirth. Juxtaposing expressive portraiture with the emotional resonance of iconic figures, the series frames sustainability as a personal issue. Each icon's legacy and identity are harnessed to evoke empathy and inspire collective responsibility towards the earth. Augmented reality integration and the use of cutting-edge digital tools further enrich the narrative, demonstrating how innovations in new media can give ethical messages and emotional expression added resonance. In all, Icons of Sustainaissance turns nostalgia into an aspirational call for environmental consciousness by harnessing digital art and cultural iconography.