Transforming Waste Plastic into Art
Thanks to the generous funding from Arts Council England, we’ve entered an exciting new phase of the project. If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know that the CR Clarke sheet press and cooling press are now fully installed at the Waste Plastic Studio and we’ve begun experimenting with sheet material made from recycled plastic.
As we prepare to embark on our mission to harvest one tonne of plastic waste, we’ve been building links behind the scenes with selected collaborators, to set up waste plastic collection hubs. More details on this to follow. Following the overwhelming international response to our Lead artist Open Call, we shortlisted four talented artists and designers and held interviews. The selected applicant will be announced at the end of the month.
The Open Call Journey
Throughout the six weeks open call, the response we received was phenomenal. The quality and quantity of submissions were way beyond our expectations! We extend our sincere thanks to our panel of independent experts, including the Eco Committee at Bluecoat Academy Aspley, for their valuable insights. Sorting through the designs has been a source of amazement and delight!
Bluecoat Academy Aspley Eco Committee - Lead Artist Selection Panel
“This was a brilliant opportunity for Bluecoat Academy Aspley Eco Committee members to have a real say in our community. The students spent an hour looking through real applications and deciding which artist design was the most sustainable. All of the students made a fantastic panel, they gave their opinions and were open to listening to each other. The final decisions were made through voting”. Amy Underwood, Eco Committee Coordinator at Bluecoat Academy Aspley
Shortlisted Artists
Earlier this month, we were delighted to interview the four shortlisted artists, who’s designs really caught our attention: Bart Urbański, Coline Le Quenven, Matt Kelly and Ben Parry.
Bart Urbański
Bart Urbański, Founder of DOBA Studio in Edinburgh, Scotland. Bart has dedicated the last five years to exploring sustainable artistry, specialising in transforming waste plastic into intricate artworks and products.
“Participating in the Lead Artist Open Call has been a great opportunity. It's reinvigorated my passion for crafting meaningful art from recycled materials, especially exploring the sculptural potential of waste plastic. Collaborating with Future Makers would be an incredible opportunity to manifest my sustainable art vision”.
Bart’s future aspirations revolve around pushing the boundaries of what's achievable with waste plastic artistry. He aims to not only create visually stunning sculptures but also inspire others to explore sustainable creativity. Through DOBA Studio, he’s committed to fostering a community that values eco-friendly art practices and encourages innovative ways to repurpose materials.
Coline Le Quenven
Coline Le Quenven is an artist and designer based in London, dedicated to exploring the future aesthetics of materials to raise awareness about plastic pollution. Her practice employs critical design, research, and craftsmanship to weave new narratives about human impact on Earth, using plastic waste as her primary raw material.
“I applied to the Future Makers Open Call as I was searching for my next challenge. I felt appealed by the amount of plastic to be recycled for the project. My proposal, the Nest, aims to offer a space of leisure, workshops, discussions and shelter to the community of Nottingham”.
Coline’s recent work includes a commission by Collectif Polymer, The Nymph Fountain, made from sculpted plastic waste, as well as an art residency in Ibiza, collecting plastic on the shores. She is currently working on a new exhibition opening in January At Hypha Stratford in London exploring the theme of water.
Matt Kelly
Matt Kelly is the founder and director of Plaey Workshop in Salts Mill, Shipley. At Plaey, the team design and make modern, modular furniture that combines form, function and a sense of fun.
“Working sustainably is incredibly important to us - Future Makers are turning the waste plastic problem into creative inspiration. We hope to work with them and their community to highlight the potential circular economy of everyday waste”.
The team at Plaey are excited about the potential of turning waste plastic into Plaey building blocks to make a playful functional sculpture - to bring hope and inspiration!
Ben Parry
Ben Parry is an artist, curator and researcher working at the intersections of art, ecology, urbanism and social change. He uses art as a tool to create spaces in which to imagine alternative futures and intervenes in the everyday via small acts of resistance. His practice takes diverse forms from large scale public sculpture, site-responsive interventions, documentary and exhibition to collaborative and community-led projects in diverse contexts.
“Future Makers have created an architectural material that can be shaped, coloured and machined in innovative ways. I want to use this material to talk about the role of plastic in everyday life, share thinking on sustainable design and its material possibilities by creating an outdoor pavilion, which feels like an ideal form for provoking discussion amongst the community”.
Ben’s work has consistently explored themes of waste, recycling, pollution and obsolescence as both a material concern and consequence of overconsumption. In 2018 he co-designed Compound 13 Lab, in Dharavi, Mumbai; an experimental learning and maker space exploring the politics of waste, circular economies and the everyday survival of the cities’ informal waste workers.
The lead artist selection process has been extremely valuable to us. We’re delighted to have had engagement from numerous artists from all over the world, who are passionate about working with recycled plastic. The announcement of the selected artist will be made public at the end of the month.
A Leading-Edge Opportunity:
This initiative goes beyond recycling; it's a leading-edge opportunity to showcase the possibilities of working with waste plastic as a sheet material in the realm of creative industries. We are poised to demonstrate the artistic potential hidden within what many consider mere waste.
Stay tuned as we embark on this journey, making art from waste, and revealing the selected Lead Artist who will bring our vision to life. Together, let's redefine the boundaries of creativity with Future Makers Waste Plastic Studio.