Thirza Schaap’s ‘plastic ocean’ project combines sculpture with photography and examines our changing relationship with plastics and the increasing and overwhelming presence they have in our lives. 

At a first glance, the debris do not disgust us. On the contrary. Their dainty look almost seems to gloss over the ugliness of all the plastic pollution on our beaches. But only for an instant. Our initial attraction, soon fades.

Thirza Schaap:

This image shows a clash between worlds, offering minimal and aesthetically pleasing compositions which, on closer inspection, in-still a sense of ecological grief.  Plastic Ocean questions consumption, idolatry and what it is we value in our lives today. The effect is a quirky, playful and pop art paradox. 

Plastic Ocean provides a kind of Vanitas for the 21st century. Traditional icons of mortality, ephemerality and wealth have been traded out for bottles, baskets and bowls: single-use items which are used and discarded, now only existing as empty vessels of destruction.

My image:

I liked Thirza Schaap’s style of work, relating to the Anthropocene project, as she took rubbish and plastic debris which is usually seen as disgusting, and made art out of it by creating these images.

I did my own photo shoot, inspired by Schaap’s work. I used plastic bottles, containers and cans. For some contrast i decided to add plastic buttons and sea glass, this added some depth to the image as well as fitting in with the Anthropocene/ plastic pollution theme.