Two Spanish artists said goodbye to Mother Earth through an explosive art installation back in 2012 (when it was thought that the world was on the verge of the apocalypse). Javier Jabalera and Mon Castel, in collaboration with 3D Neighbours, created a project whereby they arranged hundreds of matchsticks into a flammable world map.

The structure was created by inserting matchsticks into holes that were drilled across a large surface. The graphic designers’ use of both dark and light red tips effectively gave dimension and texture to the world map created. Furthermore, the matchsticks within the world map made the work 3-dimensional with the sticks pointing in the direction of its viewers, subtly representing the work’s relevance to them.

The art piece was lit on fire and the viewers watched in fascination and awe as the fire spread through the work and completely destroyed it. At the end, all that was left were the charred remains of the matchsticks and a layer of thick soot. Perhaps, this is symbolic of the transience of life on Earth: the time and effort put into “building” our world and how it could end in just a blink or an eye. 

Learn more about Mon Castel here & Javier Jabalera here !

Images from mymodernmet