Research on designers

Thirza Schaap captures the beauty of plastic as a “friendly reminder” about pollution
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/thirza-schaap-plastic-ocean-300817

                     

Designed to be placed within the home as a decorative element which is done through complimenting colour schemes that suggest a peaceful and pretty atmosphere. The items themselves are representing trash that pollutes the ocean as it was items Schaap collected from the beach and littering. From a distance they look like beautiful sculptures but up close they are trash. - Contrast between trash and beauty - deceptive to bring attention the issue of plastic pollution. We may not be as aware of the issue which relates to the beauty and deceptiveness of the sculptures. It's a "friendly reminder" as she states as it's pretty enough to be placed in the house as a decorative piece and works as a constant reminder.
"The juxtaposition of repulsion and beauty is imperative in these images; Thirza aims to break down these barriers by challenging our perception of what we find attractive. She tells us how an audience usually pays attention to that which is more visually appealing, so when considering the method of pastel washing her objects or placing the waste in a pleasant way, it makes a lot of sense."

This last image is particularly interesting as she uses the same shapes and bright colours to create a sculpture that also translates as a shadow. The consistent shapes create this idea of beauty that she aims for, and the stark line between complimenting tones of the same colour suggest the juxtaposition between beauty and trash.

Mandy Barker

Barker works with scientists and activists looking into plastic pollution and cleaning up the environment often which is what her body of work surrounds. However this particular project called "Penalty" is really interesting as it focuses on a specific object that is constantly found as waste and isn't something many people would quickly associate with plastic waste. She collected discarded footballs found on beaches in the UK that the public sent her as well and first collated them into an image to convey their waste and bring attention that everything can cause plastic pollution not just water bottles as there's not much attention brought to items such as footballs.

The photographs are taken against a black background with a soft light to create juxtaposition but also bring all the attention towards their texture - how they've wasted away and how they contribute to plastic pollution. She mentions that the reasoning behind the black background is also to be reminiscent of the blackness of the deep sea to bring to attention how far down the pollution reaches, "the fact that plastic debris has no boundaries, plastic is found from the sea bed to the sea surface, from the polar regions to the equator."

The second image in their composition suggests that they are in space is to represent how there is an unlimited amount of waste being created. Their fluidity can also relate to the deep sea. She also mentions that plastic pollution can be unseen and do not biodegrade for hundreds of years which relates to the change in time in space.