McKenna Connolly: Ocean Conservation Art
McKenna Connolly
Ocean Conservation Art
Preface: My name is McKenna Connolly, and my work is called Ocean Conservation Art. I will license under CC BY-SA.
Introduction: This portfolio focuses on how artists use plastic, or garbage, as a material for their art projects to promote their ideals. With three very different works of art, each represents something unique to the artist, but all share the goal of saving the oceans. The artists use plastic that they find and clean and incorporate it into their work. Through their artwork, they aim to raise awareness about the negative impact of plastic on the environment and encourage recycling. It reminds the audience of the grim reality we will face if we do not act.
Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang were approached to create “Skyscraper (The Bruges Whale)” for Bruges. They pulled out 5 tons of garbage from beaches in Hawaii, including items like toilet seats and plastic hangers, to create this 12-meter-tall sculpture. Resting near a canal, the artists hope to represent how trash is thrown away and confront nearby pedestrians with the bleak reality we are living in. The artists commented that the “Skyscraper is a physical example of why we need to change how we use and dispose of plastic today,” Additionally, the fact that there is more plastic out there than blue whales should be a wake-up call. Additionally, it should serve as a wake-up call to the audience that the world has more plastic than there are blue whales.
At North Carolina’s art gallery Expo 216, Bonnie Monteleone’s latest exhibit showcases the devastating impact of plastic pollution on the world’s oceans. Monteleone created “What Comes Around, Goes Around” as the opening exposition based on “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.” Monteleone has traveled worldwide collecting ocean water samples and was genuinely astonished that every sample contained plastic. Inspired by the reminder of the dire state of our planet’s oceans, she collected plastic from three different oceans and altered this famous artwork by overlaying it with trash. Montelone’s exhibit serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to take action to address this environmental crisis. As well as emphasizing the importance of ocean conservation, she hopes to promote recycling by showcasing used plastic as a material rather than debris.
Washed Ashore is dedicated to encouraging recycling and cleaning our oceans by creating beautiful art to showcase worldwide. One of these exhibits includes this coral reef sculpture made of plastic showcased at Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Plastic affects the ocean by depositing debris and disease that ends up killing coral reefs through a process called coral bleaching. In turn, this involves many other species by damaging their homes. Washed Ashore hopes to promote the conservation of these essential keystone species by collecting donations to spread this message further. As well as spreading awareness, this sculpture also represents how unique and diverse coral reefs are.
Theme: There are many themes that these works of art could represent, but the two most important are conservation awareness and using artistic expression for good. These artists raise awareness of issues such as excess trash and the importance of keystone species. Additionally, the garbage they use in their art is sourced by the artists and collected sustainably. Their audiences then see trash in less of a negative sense and more as a possibility of being a beneficial material. The revenue created by displaying these art pieces can also be donated to organizations that can help the ocean on a larger scale.
Application: These artists are showing the community a different perspective relating to the fight against climate change, whether it be to show how much trash there is concerning a dying species, how plastic can be recycled, or the importance of coral reefs. Every artist has a unique approach to progress, and their cultural significance is invaluable in this cause. Depending on their personal beliefs and values, they use their strengths to make a difference. The art pieces serve as a reminder of how art can be utilized to encourage positive change. We must take action against climate change’s impact, as 90% of it occurs in the ocean.
Stokstad, Erik. “Is Plastic Trash Making Coral Reefs Sick? | Science | AAAS.” Science, www.science.org/content/article/plastic-trash-making-coral-reefs-sick. Accessed 31 July 2023.
“The Bruges Whale Project.” PANTHALASSA, 17 July 2018, www.panthalassa.org/the-bruges-whale-project/.
Media Attributions
- whale
- wave
- reef
