Peak Guano Before Extraction

Acrylic on Board

10″ x 10″

There is so much to say about guano. Over millennia the nutrient-rich bird excrement accumulated into substantial peaks and plateaus in the rocky islands of the Pacific Ocean, especially off the coast of Peru. The Inca strictly rationed it; abuse would result in death. It played a key role in wars between Spain and its former South American colonies. America’s first post-manifest destiny expansionist legislation was passed to acquire guano. It was critical in reducing famine in Europe. It found a place in the abolition of slavery and the City Beautiful movement. And it was completely extinguished in just a couple of decades. Someday I will tell this story. For now, imagine the beginning, the time of peak guano before extraction.