Local artist, Norman Gitzen, has been sculpting a “Vanishing Species Series” for nearly two decades to draw attention to the decline in marine life.
Norman crafts sea turtles, sailfish, dolphin, coral reefs and other marine life out of metal, leaving holes in the bodies to simulate their disappearance from the environment due to chemicals, rising temperatures and over fishing in our area.

Gitzen recently was commissioned by TD Bank’s lead architect who researched his art to sculpt a vanishing sea turtle for their Miami Beach bank branch.

The sculptures are forged out of bronze or steel and feature the characteristics of the sea animal…with parts of the interior missing. The absence of the metal is a metaphor for the vanishing marine life in South Florida.

Marine endangered animals include: loggerheads, green and olive ridley sea turtles, various species of sawfishes and blue whales. Dugongs, humphead wrasses, whale sharks, humpback whales, grey nurse sharks, and great white sharks are examples of marine animals that will likely go extinct if little changes.

The loggerhead sea turtle is considered threatened under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.

Gitzen explains what is causing the decline in sea life in our waters here in South Florida and what can be done to prevent it.
Listen to the full interview here.
SFS Vanishing Species Art

For more information on Norman Gitzen’s artwork click here.