Art From Recycled Materials

The theme for 2021 is #RecyclingHeroes, and it aims for celebrating people, activities, and places that remind us of the importance of recycling as a way of contributing to preserving the environment.

Recycling is a fundamental part of the circular economy. According to the Global Recycling Foundation, each year, the seventh resource (recyclables) saves more than 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions and this is projected to increase to 1 billion tonnes by 2030. 

The Woman Post will take you on a journey to meet the work of various recycling heroes that have used recycled materials to create stunning art pieces. 

1. Vik Muniz

Muniz is a Brazilian artist, living and working in New York. He is widely recognized for his unusual interpretations of famous artworks. For instance, he interpreted Leonardo Da Vinci’s MonaLisa, made of peanut butter and jam. He currently works with landfill materials and junk to produce art. In his work, he claims that there aren’t transformations bigger than a piece of garbage into a piece of art.

2. Pam Longobardi

Longobardi is a Professor at Georgia State University. She is also an artist and activist. In 2006, she created a Project named Drifters Project, to collect plastic found in the ocean and transform it into photography and installations. Don’t miss National Geographic’s video of Longobardi turning plastic pollution from the Alaskan coast into art.

Also read: ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCERS YOU SHOULD FOLLOW

3. Guerra de la Paz

Guerra de la Paz is a collaboration between two Cuban artists, Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz. They transform old clothing into art pieces that speak strongly about the need to protect the environment. Some of the messages they transmit using their art, allude to the threatening consequences that will come if humans continue with excessive consumerism and disposal.

4. Subodh Gupta

Gupta is an Indian contemporary artist, who lives in New York. He makes original art pieces out of recycled domestic items that include steel pots and pans. Most of his choices for creating art, also play an important role in Indian culture.

5. Mandy Barker

Barker is a British photographer, who is recognized for her work with marine plastic debris. After graduating from De Montfort University in England with MA in photography, she began her investigation on marine plastic debris. She was also awarded a National Geographic Society Grant for research and exploration in 2018. She was also selected as a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society in 2019. 

Finally, it is worth mentioning that today represents a great opportunity to reflect on our consumption patterns and to play our part in working for a cleaner and a safer planet for future generations, while we get some inspiration from these unique artists and recycling heroes.