There Is Only One

There Is Only One by Emek

Standard: Edition of 175 (signed & numbered)
5-color screen print featuring metallic and glow-in-the-dark inks on 133lb cougar

Variant: Edition of 10 (signed & numbered)
Screen print and sparkle glitter foil on "Curious Cosmic Blue Planet" paper

24" x 12"

Printed by DL Screenprinting

About the artist

Coming from a unique family of 5 artists, Emek has made his mark creating special limited edition silkscreen posters for live concerts around the world.  Emek' style thrives on attention to detail, coupled with layers of meaning in the artwork. His infusion of socio-political commentary into pop culture imagery has made his work instantly recognizable in the field. Emphasizing craftsmanship, his work is mostly hand-drawn in the tradition of the classic psychedelic posters from the 1960's.

Over the last 2 decades, Emek has created hundreds of posters for some of the top alternative bands and events, like TOOL, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Coachella Festival, Queens of the Stone Age, Jane's Addiction, to name a few, as well as album covers from Neil Young and Pearl Jam to Henry Rollins and Erykah Badu.  Emek's work has been shown in galleries across the United States, in Berlin, London, Tokyo, belguim and Canada.  He has been interviewed on CNN, featured in magazines and books, and has his own 300 page book.

"Emek has great design and impeccable political sentiments, what more could you ask for on a poster?" - R. Crumb

Artist statement

Whale sharks are being targeted by commercial and artisanal fisheries, putting them on the list of endangered species. - And the reduction of whale shark sightings has put them in a vulnerable situation.

All life on earth is a part of a greater whole. Of course nothing represents this more than "Endangered" lives. Extinction of one species affects the entire eco-system of which we are a part, not apart. I love the graceful "gentle giant" manner of the whale shark, and in this tribute I made all of its ubiquitous spotted patterns into Earths.

The truth, and the title of this piece is; "There is only One". We don't have spare earths, as much as this little whale shark would like us to believe. Without one there cannot be the other, we are all in this together. Eat more kale.

Species of the month
Whale shark

Photography by Tre' Packard

Photograph by Tre' Packard 

Conservation Status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)

As the largest fish in the ocean, whale sharks can grow to an average of 9 - 12 meters in length (39 feet). Ironically, these gentle giants feed primarily on the smallest sea creatures such as plankton and other microscopic plants and animals using their mouth which stretches almost as wide as the body.  In the animal kingdom, the whale shark holds several records for sheer size, rivaling many dinosaurs in weight.

Whale sharks are found in tropical and warm oceans around the world. These massive creatures with their unique and distinctive body patterns live in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. Most cultures where these sharks are found have special relationships to them and unique names based on their size and markings. Such as in the Philippines where the shark is commonly know as "butanding" meaning "blind shark" due to the animal's small eyes in comparison to it's large body. Whale sharks are slow growing taking an average of 25 years to reach maturity. 

Normally solitary animals, at times they gather in feeding aggregations that are often divided according to size and sex. These seasonal aggregations have been sighted in countries around the globe including Australia, Honduras, The Maldives, Mexico, Mozambique, and the Philippines. These feeding aggregations can reach over 300 animals in number, together, feeding on seasonal blooms of plankton. Commonly, whale sharks embark on large-scale, transoceanic migrations in search of these patches of food.

Whale sharks are considered vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN and are listed under Appendix II of CITES helping to manage their trade. Despite the protection efforts of several countries, these sharks are considered highly lucrative for the Asian shark fin trade and the growing mega-aquarium trade both adding pressures on their populations. Fishing also posing a serious threat to the whale sharks survival. The sharks get entangled in fishing nets and gear resulting in injury or death. Also these animals risk being struck by ships while feeding at the water's surface. Whale sharks are sought-after by commercial and subsistence fisheries primarily in the Indo-Pacific. Although the meat is not commonly consumed outside of Asia, whale sharks are increasingly targeted for liver oil, as a means of waterproofing boats and for their fins, which are status symbols and used as shop signs.

You can help save whale sharks

1. Donate to organizations working to raise awareness and research such as PangeaSeed, Wildlife Conservation Society, WildAid, etc.

2. Advocate stronger global and regional action to protect whale sharks and other threatened shark species.

3. Support the establishment and protection of marine protected areas (MPAs).  

4. Recommend ecotourism and dive or snorkel with whale sharks - but remember to look and DO NOT touch these animals. This offers sustainable monetary alternatives to destructive fishing methods.  

5. Think twice before you buy. Do not support the trade of shark fins or other shark products and try to reduce your carbon footprint.

6. Educate yourself, friends and family on the issues facing whale sharks and other endangered ocean animals. Act NOW if you wish to save our seas.