This object symbolizes both the catastrophic effects of ill thought out technological processes and the resilience of communities working together.

The massive geo-engineering project that took place in the Gulf of Mexico in 2032 to provide for the insatiable demand for fresh water for California resulted in a huge and seemingly irreversible damage to the ecosystem.

The joint project between the governments of Mexico and the USA and large global corporations led to a total collapse of the ocean foodchain, from the shellfish to the seals.

The incident and its repercussions signaled the end of the fishing industry in the area as well as a myriad of related livelyhoods such as pearl farming.

This catastrophe fell hardest in Mexico and so the resulting political pushback was also created in Mexico. The loss of so many jobs and the realization that part of the beauty of their environment was damaged beyond repair resulted in many small rural communities joining with environmental groups and pushing for political change. By 2038 the Mexican government had been replaced by an environmentally aware left leaning party and a social backlash against technology and particularly technology in the hands of corporations was in full cry.

The brooch symbolises the twin strands of natural beauty in the skilled hands of a craftsperson and is an example of a type of jewellery and the associated political movements that swept the world.