On Tuesday, a life-size statue of Ron DeSantis began melting shortly after it was unveiled in front of supporters and onlookers in Tallahassee, an intentionally dramatic installation designed to make the consequences of climate change impossible to ignore.
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A life-size statue of Ron DeSantis began melting shortly after it was unveiled in front of supporters and onlookers in Tallahassee, an intentionally dramatic installation designed to make the consequences of climate change impossible to ignore.
The installation arrives ahead of the midterm elections and shortly after Climate Week NYC. Through the work, “DENIAL” is urging Americans to deny climate change deniers and sign a pledge to vote for climate conscious candidates. Sculpted entirely from gallium, a metal that melts at 85.6°F (29.8°C), “DENIAL” exposes the fragile illusion of performative politicians against the unyielding reality of the natural world. That melting point sits below Tallahassee’s average summer high, a threshold Florida will cross more often and for longer under 2°C of global heating.
The statue references DeSantis’s 2024 signing of HB 1645, which erased the phrase “climate change” from Florida state law – even as the state spent more than $1 billion responding to floods, storms, and heat. DeSantis is scheduled to leave office in January 2027 after serving eight years as governor and reaching his term limit.
“The climate crisis is one of the top issues facing our planet today. And yet, some candidates running for office still deny it’s happening, and deny the bold climate action that the people want,” said Candice Fortin, 350 Action Campaign Manager.
“That’s why it’s more important than ever to deny them back at the ballot box. If everyone who cares about people and our planet makes their voices heard on Election Day, we’ll be too loud to deny,” continued Fortin.
The statue was produced using 3D scanning and printing to achieve photorealistic detail, then cast in solid gallium, a metal that melts under the very conditions its subject legislated against acknowledging. As the record heat that has defined much of his tenure continues, DENIAL will not.
350 Action supports the bold, people-powered movements fighting to keep our planet livable. Learn more and get involved at 350action.org/denial.
About 350 Action:
350 Action is an organization that empowers voters to make a direct impact in the nation’s most important climate races. From local elections that decide energy policies to House races that could take Congress back from climate deniers, we support climate-progressive candidates and initiatives. Learn more at www.350action.org.
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