Since his first visit to the Museum of Natural History in New York as a child, Alexis Rockman has been interested in the natural world. Over the past two decades, his work has explored issues ranging from evolutionary biology and genetic engineering to deforestation and climate change, often with a great deal of wit. He says of his practice: "I want to embrace ambivalence, confusion, sadism and humor."

Many of Alexis Rockman's works have been inspired by his travels around the world, including Costa Rica, Brazil, Madagascar, Guyana, Tasmania, and Antarctica. Rockman has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows, and in 2010 Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow, a survey of Rockman's career, was featured at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Rockman also worked with director Ang Lee on the 2012 film Life of Pi, creating hundreds of sketches of aquatic species to serve as visual inspiration.

Click here to read our interview with Alexis Rockman about his dire eco-dystopian visions.