Plastics are the most common element found in the ocean today. Plastic, in particular, is harmful to the environment as it does not break down easily and is often mistaken as food by marine animals. The 5 most common items found in coastal cleanups around the world are all single-use plastics. There’s enough plastic in the ocean to circle the Earth 400 times and by 2050 plastics will outnumber fish.
This water environment is under serious threat from human intervention. Similarly to the ‘Urban Jungle‘ and ‘Wonder‘ series, my aim is to create a body of work that call attention to this threat. The Plastic Castaway series integrates image elements of mismanaged waste and plastic found in the ocean juxtaposed with the marine life that is endangered by it. It is within this space that the unfortunate integration between marine life and plastic are bonded together.
To that effect, the sad truth is that humans are now affected by the sheer volume of plastic that enters into the ocean. Studies have shown that in a lifetime, humans will have ingested 40 pounds of plastic. Plastic is a part of our daily lives and is now becoming a part of us by being digested in various ways. The creation of this series and sharing this information is a start for me. If you would like to do more, take action and share this page with others as well.
Each of these works use various techniques such as painting, stencilling, airbrush, printmaking on canvas. You can also view some of the process shots taken from this series in the blog section of the website.
Matthew Laurence 