Artist Ruben Orozco’s Drowning Girl Sculpture in Spanish River Sparks Conversation About Climate Change

The 264-pound fiberglass statue was placed in the water in the middle of the night.

People in Bilbao, Spain, recently woke up to a disturbing sight.

A sculpture appeared in the River Nervion depicting a young girl with her eyes wide open, who appears to be drowning.

To the surprise of many, the 264-pound fiberglass statue was placed in the water in the middle of the night. Its chilling expression greeted curious onlookers in the morning.

As the tides of the river rise and fall, more or less of the haunting face is revealed.

It’s the work of a Mexican artist named Ruben Orozco. The art is meant to provoke conversations about sustainability and climate change.

The artist told a Spanish news outlet that he wants people to consider how, quote, "their actions can sink us or keep us afloat.”

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