De-evolution
By Paul Jackson
Published as the Centerfold Issue 143, November 2025
What once defined us — curiosity, connection, presence — is being eroded by constant exposure to screens and social media. We’re no longer evolving forward, but slipping backward. Our attention spans shorten, our critical thinking weakens, and our emotional depth flattens. We are becoming less human in ways we don’t always notice.
This piece presents an exaggerated, dystopian view of this decline: humans as decaying, ape-like figures, caught between what we were and what we’re becoming. The digital world, once a tool, has become a trap — rewiring our behavior, reshaping our values, and dulling our instincts.
We are physical beings being reshaped by an intangible force. The more we consume, the more we are consumed. Technology outpaces us, outsmarts us, and increasingly defines us.
“Deevolution” is a visual warning — a reflection of how easily we can lose touch with ourselves, both mentally and physically, when we surrender to the machine.
Snag a De-evolution giclee art print — 20″ x 30″ — signed numbered and embossed – edition 100 from Paul Jackson.
Hailing from Brighton, England, but residing in Toronto, Canada, Paul’s one of a kind voice and vision has turned heads around the world. A mixologist of form, style and media, his unique fusions of sci-fi and the surreal offer meditations on the supernatural, popular culture and humankind’s reliance on technology. A master of noir pop-art, his detailed drawings and paintings are often shot through with dystopian humour, challenging the viewer to face the absurdity of modern living.
Head to his Website to see more work, grab prints, woven tapestries and more. Follow him on Instagram to stay up-to-date.
Check out Paul’s debut with Birdy as the Front Cover artist for September’s Issue 141 with his piece, Do Not Feed The Monkeys, and keep your eyes peeled for more work by this profound artist.