Images can help convey a thought or idea. They contain many different symbols that help convey the deeper meanings behind the image. Gaol shows this in his poster, “Earth Tree.” His main points are thoroughly expressed through his detailed posters, such as this one. I argue that this poster shows the interest Andrew Lumban Gaol has for his native country, the United States, and the impact of global warming on the country. This poster depicts the possible dangers the United States can face if the issue of global warming is not diminished.

At first glance, one would see a human being who is floating in the sky. His stare is somewhat frightful. One can tell it is a human being at the center of the poster because he has a nose, eyes, and mouth which are all common facial features found in humans. The land makes up his lower face while the grass and trees make up the upper half of his face. His gaze is towards the audience, who is this case, Americans. This poster show the many different ways an average human being is affected by the process of global warming. The split in the humans head represents a shattered world, or one that is falling apart due to climate change. 

The upper half of his face consists of buildings and factories. The factories give off smoke into the air that spreads across the entire face and into the air. The smoke creates unsanitary air which is harmful for humans to breathe. All the fumes released from factories contribute to the issue of climate change. This represents the role global warming plays on human health. 

The picture clearly shows that temperature is a factor that plays a role in climate change. On both sides of the face, there are snowy mountains. These snowy mountains represent the melting of ice and how that plays a role in the destruction of natural habitats of polar bears and other arctic animals who need extreme temperatures to survive. Global warming causes an increase in temperature, which causes ice to melt. This also affects the agriculture industry. Agriculture can be damaged by wildfires and climate change. Airplanes and rockets are crashing into the bottom half of his face which consists of land and soil. This represents that the destruction of land is caused by wildfires that emerge as a result of climate change. The rise of temperatures is a direct result of global warming which can be harmful in many ways.

Climate change does not only impact the environment, but also impacts the economy. On the left side of the face, there is a row of buildings that represent the economy. Companies and markets of developing countries are negatively affected by climate change. The airplanes can represent the military getting more involved with the nation and flying airplanes in and out to other countries to get any help they can get. One can assume this poster illustrates the United States because it shows a developed country that contains tall buildings, factories, boundaries of water, land, and many other American symbols. 

The eyes of the human look frightful to see what may happen as a result of climate change. His eyes are looking straight forward as if he is scared, and he is holding a finger over his mouth as if he cannot speak. This can represent the world going through a horrific climate change and nothing one person can do about it. Global warming is not an issue that can be solved by only one person, but instead requires the help of an entire country. Everyone must come together a whole if they want something to be done about the issue of global warming. The mans facial expression shows the many different ways he is affected by climate change. The extreme heat, water supply and quality, air pollution, and many other things can contribute to mental health and illness. Andrew Lumban Gaol chose a human as the center of the picture because global warming  affects humans more than anything else. This poster raises awareness to people all over the world and poses the possible threats that they can receive and are facing right now due to climate change. 

The colors used in this poster play a significant role in symbolism and getting a point across to the viewer. The blues in the sky and water may be used to represent calmness and serenity, while, the browns, reds, and oranges may be used to represent the destruction of the future if the issue of global warming is not taken seriously. The blacks represent smoke and air pollution which is a major issue caused by global warming. The green trees represent a life on earth prior to global warming. The poster accurately portrays the before and aftermath of climate changes. 

By viewing this poster, the spectator can clearly understand what feelings Andrew Lumban Gaol has for global warming in the United States. One can notice that Andrew Lumban Gaol uses a variety of symbols and colors in his art. In his poster, there is a detailed representation of the impact of global warming on the United States. This poster has many different symbols that lead to a deeper understanding of global warming and how harmful it is to Earth. This shows how eye-opening an image can be and how it can raise awareness to people. 

The symbols and images in Gaol’s poster are so intimidating that they force the viewer to look for a deeper meaning behind the image and what he is trying to express. 
