Earth Study

William T. Wiley's Earth Study addresses environmental concerns. In a related work, Wiley wrote warnings about our thoughtlessness toward the planet. Earth Study is dominated by an ominous image of our planet Earth. The swirling marks around it, including explosions, set the canvas in motion. Earth Study is filled with symbols, both personal and universal. Along the right, lower side, a baby and skull suggest life and death. A small yin-yang symbol representing universal oppositions is at the upper left. Many motifs remain ambiguous. Wiley said, "People ask me what something means….I don't really know…. It's a multitude of things. It's a mysterious element that you like…. Art is such a wonderful concept in that that's one of its main functions-to remain undefined."