setting by placing Winnie the Pooh in a ravaged
forest. In “The Hundred Acre Deforestation,”
Pooh scratches his head in confusion as he sits
among the wreckage of wood chips.
“Creating an emotional response through
images can be effective for eco-activism,” said
Hong, “if not to change people’s opinions,
then to remi nd ourselves of the daily things
we do that affect the environment.”
While he believes that it’s too late to stop the
damage we’ve incurred on the planet, Hong
maintains that we can still “slow the damage
down.” Hong’s works aim to disturb complacency and remind viewers that “our choices
can have a large affect on others.” The cunning
paradox of Unhappily Ever After is that, while
living “(un)happily” ever after suggests a fated
ending that cannot be changed, Unhappily Ever
After also portrays the characters’ endings as
the result of our actions, rather than destiny.
“Unhappily Ever After gives a false impression
that we can’t do anything to better ourselves
or the environment,” said Hong. While the
effects of climate change can’t be reversed,
the rate at which the climate changes can be
decelerated, as our actions and choices can
contribute to the resulting effect.
Hong’s repurposed Disney characters motivate viewers to live more consciously by fighting
anti-environmental policies, reducing our consumption rates and “replenishing what we use.”
“To me, making the viewer pause and
really think is the strongest and most effective way I can engage an audience without
using any words.”
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