Project 3 – Semiotics Triptych (Icon/ Index /Symbol)

My chosen theme is environmental protection, an issue that grows more urgent every year as the effects of environmental degradation become increasingly visible. With this project, I wanted to communicate not only the seriousness of the problem but also the different ways we understand and recognize it. To do this, I created a series of three painted panels, each representing an icon, index, or symbol. Together, they form a visual narrative about the state of our environment and our responsibility to protect it.

In the first panel, I conveyed the index by painting a single iceberg floating in the Arctic Ocean. An index points to evidence of the theme, and this isolated iceberg functions as a visual example of environmental decline. As ice caps melt in the arctic and entire habitats shrink, the single iceberg becomes a powerful marker of a rapidly changing climate.

The second panel represents the icon through the image of a polar bear stranded on a small iceberg. Icons resemble what they represent, and the polar bear has become one of the most recognizable images associated with climate change. By placing the bear on a single, fragmented piece of ice with no others nearby, I emphasize its vulnerability and the importance of environmental protection; that action must be taken to protect this species. 

Finally, the third panel expresses the symbol through a green, healthy plant. Unlike icons or indexes, symbols rely on cultural understanding rather than resemblance. When viewed alongside the other panels, the plant becomes a symbol of hope and renewal, a reminder that environmental protection is not only about loss but also about the possibility of regeneration.

I chose acrylic paint as my medium because it allowed me to blend colors smoothly and create strong contrasts between the good and the bad. Presenting these three panels together highlights the complexities of environmental protection and encourages viewers to reflect on both the damage we witness and the change we can still create.

Sketches: