In 2018, plastic was chosen as the material of the year by the London Design Festival , a leading British event in the segment, in order to motivate viewers to rethink the use of the object in the future. Also this year, plastic has been considered one of the main enemies of the environment. The reason is the decomposition time: it can take 400 years to decompose, until it never disintegrates completely. Underwater Pavillions, de Doug Aitken (Divulgação)
With this in mind, activists and artists have been looking for new ways to raise awareness in society. Below, we have selected two artistic installations that encourage the public to rethink consumption. Wild Wild Waste, by Artur Bordalo
Wild Wild Waste, de Artur Bordalo (Divulgação)
Portuguese artist Artur Bordalo, better known as Bordalo II, used an abandoned motel in Las Vegas as a stage for his art. Giant animals, made from scrap metal, occupied the abandoned lot and make up the exhibition Wild Wild Waste , as part of the Life is Beautiful music and arts festival. Bordalo is recognized for his activist art, and his works always seek to raise awareness about animal abuse, pollution and excessive consumerism. In Wild Wild Waste , six sculptures are on display and were made in partnership with Justkids. A weakened lion lying in the trunk of a truck; a whale trapped in fishing nets and surrounded by old tires; penguins surrounded by trash; a family of monkeys and pandas made from car parts; and metal bears are part of the installations, and are produced only with trash found in abandoned factories, recycling centers, and dumps. Underwater Pavilions by Doug Aitken
Mergulhador interagindo com o pavilhão (Divulgação)
Designed by artist Doug Aitken and activist Cyrill Gustch, Underwater Pavillons is an art installation that submerges in the ocean and interacts with divers and marine life. The installation is a partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and consists of three sculptures made of stone and mirrored surfaces. When immersed 4 m below sea level, the pavilion changes position according to the movements of the water. The incision of the light also varies according to the angles. Os três pavilhões submersos, refletindo de acordo com a intensidade da luz (Divulgação)
Doug's main concern is fighting for aquatic preservation, and he focuses his career on creating projects to protect the seas, together with the organization Parley For the Oceans, which works to eliminate plastic from the oceans. The activists intend to spread other pavilions around the world. Check out the production video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=235&v=kPE5rHTr5qs
