On This Planet unites great Riso illustration with environmentalism

It's always nice when things that look good, do good: such is the case with the forthcoming illustration show On This Planet.

Organised by illustrator Jenny Tang, the exhibition brings together more than 30 illustrators from the UK and beyond. Each artist chose an animal that's been badly affected by the loss or fragmentation of its natural habitat to illustrate, with the works printed on Tang's very own Risograph printer.

The printed works are then going on sale to raise funds for the World Land Trust's "Buy An Acre" scheme where every £100 donated means 1 acre of land will be preserved for wildlife.

"My main goals with this exhibition is to raise the profile of other illustrators, create awareness of the issues surrounding habitat loss and to raise funds for World Land Trust," says Tang. "Each illustrated animal is risographed – an environmentally friendly printing technique using soy-based inks, and will range from the fierce tiger to the gentle pygmy three-toed sloth."

She adds: "‘On This Planet’ aims to create a positive, fun and accessible way for people to take part in environmentalism."

Michelle Turton is one of the illustrators involved and chose to depict the Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey. "I'm half Peruvian so there's a connection there," she says. "That's also one of the reasons I was drawn to getting involved in the show, as World Land Trust is working in Peru to protect areas of the Amazon rainforest."

Turton adds: "Native to the Peruvian Andes the yellow-tailed woolly monkey is critically endangered due to habitat loss. Calling on the Peruvian Inca Gods of old I chose Supay, the Inca god of death and ruler of the underworld, to represent their plight. So when you view the whole piece you can see the monkeys make up the face of Supay. I've called the piece 'Supay and the Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkeys'."

The prints range in price from £10 to just £3.50. The show runs from 18-21 May at The Old Street Gallery, 62 Paul Street, Leonard Circus, London, EC2A 4NA.

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