The Sixth Gyre: Art, Oceans, and Plastic Pollution - Marine Debris Art Exhibit in Hawaii - 20-25 March 2011

© 2010 Pam Longobardi

The past few months have been busy planning a Marine Debris Art Exhibit for the 5th International Marine Debris Conference being held in Honolulu, Hawaii this March. In August of 2010 my collaborator Pam Longobardi a professor of Art at Georgia State University, herself a talented artist, and I submitted a proposal to organize an Exhibit showcasing the marine debris art created by a group of talented professional artists.  The conference organizers NOAA and UNEP have supported our efforts and over the last 6 months we have been putting together a wonderful collaboration of talented and internationally recognized artists. The art selected for this exhibit was produced by 7 professional artists who have devoted much of their study to both understanding and interpreting the social causes and ecological challenges of marine pollution. The collaborating artists are internationally recognized for their ability to utilize art to visually interpret the human impacts of consumption and how that impact extends to marine ecosystems. The pieces of art in this exhibit reflect that aptitude. It is hoped that this exhibit will inspire thought about the role art can play interpreting conservation issues to the public, and how art may also inspire creative solutions from viewers.

Guitar Series inlay of flip-flops © 2010 Andrew McNaughton

Exhibit Statement:

Seven professional artists unite to illustrate the environmental challenges marine ecosystems face due to discarded plastic. In its entirety their work guides the audience to an inescapable vantage point. One from which it is no longer credible to maintain a culpable ignorance of the impacts plastic pollution is having on our oceans as well as the wildlife and human populations dependent on them. In combining these works the viewer’s journey mirrors the path of awareness and responsibility each artist experienced through intimate exposure to this issue.

Taken together, this body of work is transformative, enabling viewers to interpret their own role in the creation of marine pollution. The exhibit integrates in situ observations with artistic innovation, and bridges the boundary in-between. The juxtaposition of powerful images of environmental tragedy alongside artistically styled works that incorporate discarded plastics prompts the viewer to identify creative measures to reduce plastic from ending up in our oceans, rather than being overwhelmed by the challenge. The viewer ultimately shifts from blaming others to taking personal responsibility, engaged with the marine environment and therefore invested in finding solutions to reducing marine pollution sources.

Octoplas - © 2009 Michelle Lougee

The artists participating in this exhibit are:

Andrew Hughes - UK
Pam Longobardi - USA 

Dianna Cohen - USA

Susan Middleton - USA

David Liittschwager - USA

Andrew McNaughton - Kenya

Michelle Lougee - USA

Over the next few weeks I will write more about these artists (and others that we could not include) and their art. Looking at both how art helps us all interpret our connection to the natural world, in this case the marine environment, and the personal journey of how these artists discovered marine debris. I have started a new blog (click on title below) to focus specifically on these topics called:

The Fine Art of Marine Debris 

Marine debris on Laysan Island, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument - photo by David Liittschwager © 2004

This project has been supported by:

NOAA Marine Debris Division

United Nations Environmental Program

Ocean Conservancy 

Oceanic Society
Georgia State University

Surfrider Foundation - Atlanta  Chapter

Scenic Treasures Safaris - Kenya 

Earth-Art by Amanda
Flo Water LLC

UniqEco Designs 

In The Bag

Marine Debris, Art, and Snorkeling in Fiji

Here we are, in Fiji and I am finding myself thinking continually about marine debris. Don’t get me wrong, the waters here are vibrant with life, colorful corals, and swarms of multi-colored fish. Our snorkel group has spent that last four days on what is know as Rainbow Reef, in the Somosomo Strait, off of the island of Taveuni, and the reef has lived up to it’s name.

I am spending so much time thinking about marine debris because of some current projects that are happening in the Pacific Ocean. Currently the country of Kirabati, who recently gazetted the world’s largest Marine Protected Area, The Phoenix Islands Protected Area, has sent a team of researchers in to the reserve to continue documenting all that is there. The main team members are from the New England Aquarium, Kirabati, Woods Hole, Scripts Institute, and Kenya. None have been inside the reserve since 2005 and all are eager to see if illegal fishing and global climate change (in the form of coral bleaching) have taken their toll on the magnificence that originally inspired the protected status.

Also in our own backyard, at Midway Atoll in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the world’s second largest Marine Protected Area, a group of artists and filmmakers are exploring the Atoll and recording the consequence of marine pollution, specifically plastic marine debris, on the wildlife there. Plastic debris in the Pacific is increasingly being recognized as a likely cause of death for many of the Laysan and Blackfoot Albatross chicks annually. While currently (September) there are no albatross on Midway, there is however the decaying carcasses of this years unsuccessful fledglings, and almost all are loaded with plastic debris, picked up by there parents while feeding in the Pacific and regurgitated to their unsuspecting chick at Midway during the year. Each year it is estimated that over 5-tons of plastic finds its way to Midway Atoll’s islands by this route. Susan Scott, from Honolulu, an artist and marine science writer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin has also been drawing attention to Midway's (and the Pacific's) plastic problem through her art recently shown in Hawaii.

In Kenya my friend, and artist Andrew McNaughton is participating in a program sponsored by the Born Free Foundation called the Pride of Kenya.  Various artist were selected to decorate fiberglass Lions, that will be displayed throughout Kenya and draw attention to conservation challenges that carnivores face. Since Andrew is from Watamu on the coast of Kenya he decided to decorate “his lion” with marine debris collected off the beach in front of his home. He was hoping not only to create a fantastic Psychedelic lion, but take advantage of the programs visibility and draw awareness in Kenya to the problem their coastline is also experiencing with marine debris. For more photos of his marine debris art click here.

Finally another friend, and artist, Pam Longobardi is in Venice participating in an art show showcasing art related to the world of Water. Here are two photos of her work on display in Venice.

 

Clicking on Pam's name above will take you to her project website where you can view her art created from marine debris also collected in Hawaii.

Here in Fiji we are inspired by what we are seeing. The reef teaming with life. However we too are witnessing man's impact on the marine world. Just yesterday while swimming we saw a plastic bag floating among the table corals. Fortunately one of our group, Pam Hileman, swam over and quickly retrieved the bag. This making sure that it did not end up in a sea turtle's throat, or wrapped around and eventually killing some of live coral that we had all come so far to see. It was just one more reminder that we are ultimately responsible for what is in our seas, whether we directly put it there or not. We can no longer just turn our heads and hope that it not as bad as we think. Please follow the above groups and support their efforts. For more information about seeing and participating in the conservation of marine areas see Oceanic Society, a marine conservation non-profit based in San Francisco. Offering research programs and ecotourist trips to marine areas around the globe.