Recycled plastic

Nature Invasion 1

Nature Invasion 1 is part of the "Nature Invasion" series, a community-based, lifetime project inspired by mainly SDG number 13, which advocates for climate justice. And involves the artist collaborating with the public while working with fossil-based polymers, for example, polythene bags, plastic strips, and second-hand clothes, among others, through upcycling and recycling while using mainly the weaving technique to produce monumental sculpture installations inspired by mother nature. The artist exhibits the work on, around, and through historical architecture, supplemented by an art performance where the discourse around how man is inhabiting planet Earth is pushed further, aimed at sparking off both internal and external dialogues amongst the public. This is aimed at inspiring new or improved perspectives of the co-existence of human beings alongside other beings within the same ecosystem while posing questions like;
Who is invading who? Does it matter anyway? How can we co-exist in harmony?

Making process

The artist begins by reaching out to a specific community and studying their way of life in relation to waste management and their coexistence with plant life in a country where urbanisation is on the rise. She then expresses her desire to work with them to create a clean and healthy environment that will not only benefit their well-being but will also go above and beyond in supporting plant life through its coexistence alongside man's built environments, thereby contributing to climate justice. Thereafter, interested members of the community join the artist and start collecting poorly disposed fossil-based polymers, for example, within the soil, and water bodies, among other places. This inspires the next stage, which involves a thorough cleaning, where the collected materials are washed and sun-dried before being stored. This is followed by the welding stage, where the artist, still in collaboration with the community, constructs strong armatures inspired by the extinct plant species; as a result of man's practices like bush burning, deforestation, overharvesting, and swamp reclamation, to mention but a few. Using acrylic paint, the metal armatures are then treated to prevent them from rusting. This creates a fertile ground for the weaving technique, which involves the collected fossil-based polymers being used to create a strong and aesthetically appealing network, whose starting and ending points are difficult to determine. The end product is then treated with some paint to give it a physical effect similar to that of natural plants. Finally, the artwork is installed on a given architectural structure while following a given layout and design concept, hence allowing the public to interact and engage with it by viewing it from a distance and walking through it. In conclusion, a collective art performance is conducted using costumes and props inspired by plant life and made using fossil-based polymers.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.