PLASTOCENE
Marine Mutants From a Disposable World
Plastocene – Marine Mutants From a Disposable World, made its world premiere on 19 December at the National Gallery of Victoria Triennial 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.
The first conceptualisation of the ANTHROPOCENE era was “scientific thought as a geological force”, yet it could be argued that our self-referential epoch will instead be defined by our ignorance and the destructive capacity of our species. A reliance on fossil fuels and a never-ending hunger for convenience and hyper-efficiency, at whatever cost, has led to a period of rapid geological decline. Ecosystems around the globe are destabilising in what may ultimately be defined as a period of mass extinction.
Our plastics are filling the oceans and heavy pollutants are changing the pH of our seas. While thousands of species die off, unable to adapt to the rapid changes in their environments, others begin to transmutate. Here, we see the earliest indications of the PLASTOCENE, a new era defined by organismal adaptation to the endless abundance of plastics and pollutants accumulating in our environment. In a twist of evolutionary fate akin to the genesis of the mitochondria, refined hydrocarbon distillates fuse with DNA to generate a new type of life – transitional forms that exemplify the fruits of the fossil-fuel consuming era before them. The future painted here is one that humans would struggle to inhabit, but at best, we can hope that life continues in this new form, following the mass extinction that we so selfishly perpetuated.
The collection of 5 large-scale handmade environments, including Buttpuss, a 14 metre-wide octopus clad with giant hand-felted cigarette butts, are an example of the types of creatures that shall inherit the earth. Transitional forms that exemplify the fruits of the fossil-fuel consuming and the never-ending hunger for convenience and hyper-efficiency of the ANTHROPOCENE.
Massive thanks to Trevyn and the whole team at Southern Guild for making it happen and during such crazy times.
Thanks to Ronel Jordaan Textiles, Streetwires, Mielie, Wolf & Maiden Creative Studio, Mae Artisinal Rugs, M Clothing and Leon at CXIXX, for putting up with me and making the dream come true.
And a BIG thank you to NGV for their faith and the means to create such awesome pieces.
Photographs – Antonia Steyn Courtesy of Southern Guild and NGV
BUTTPUSS
Buttpuss – Mutant 1 in a series of 5; 14m wide x 3.2m high
Hand made felt Cigarette butts, steel, canvas, leather, recycled carpet, plywood.
FLAT WHITE
Flat White -Mutant 2 in a series of 5
PLASTOCENE -Marine Mutants From a Disposable, World NGV Triennial 2020
2500mm wide x 2800mm wide x 3000mm long
Steel, Plywood, pleather, leather.
Disposable coffee cups have a thin plastic lining to prevent leaking, making them difficult to recycle. The lids are made from varying types of single-use plastic, which rarely get recycled.
In the ocean the cups and lids break up into pieces that look like food. Fish will eat the tiny plastic particles, and eventually those particles can make their way back into our food chain.
Plastic cutlery is one of the most deadly plastics for sea turtles, birds and marine animals.
Sharp, highly likely to be contaminated, and commonly found in waterways, these plastics can cause serious injuries. Seabirds and turtles who eat the plastic pieces get internal injuries and poisoning.
Less than half of plastic utensils thrown away are recycled.
Here, we see further indications of the PLASTOCENE, a new era defined by organismal adaptation to the endless abundance of plastics and pollutants accumulating in our environment.
Again a BIG thank you to NGV for making the whole Triennal happen, it looks incredible and to Southern Guild and Wolf and Maiden.
Photographs – Antonia Steyn Courtesy of Southern Guild and NGV
Q-TIP
Q-Tip – creature 3 in a series of 5
PLASTOCENE -Marine Mutants From a Disposable, World NGV Triennial 2020
2000mm high x 2200mm wide x 2800mm long
Steel, Plywood, recycled sails, recycled sails, recycled textiles, sheep skin, leather.
Due to High usage and improper disposal, cotton bud pollution is widespread, with cotton buds ending up on coastlines across the world,
Once in the ocean they pose a threat to wildlife and the environment.
A cotton buds long thin shape can pierce the internal organs of marine animals that may accidentally ingest them, and plastic stems regularly turn up in the stomachs of seabirds. As they breakdown they not only add to microplastic pollution but continue to pose a threat to wildlife throughout the food chain from ingestion or toxic release.
Q-Tip is a further indication of the PLASTOCENE, a new era defined by organismal adaptation to the endless abundance of plastics and pollutants accumulating in our environment.
Again a BIG thank you to Ewan and Tony and the crew at NGV and to Southern Guild, Adri and Zanele of Mieliegirl, Mae Artisinal Rugs and Leon at CXIXX
Photographs – Antonia Steyn Courtesy of Southern Guild and NGV
SABRE TOOTHED NETFEESH
Sabre Toothed Netfeesh – creature 4 in a series of 5
PLASTOCENE -Marine Mutants From a Disposable, World NGV Triennial 2020
NGV International (National Gallery of Victoria) Melbourne, Australia.
1600mm high x 1500mm wide x 3100mm long
Steel, Plywood, chicken wire, nylon rope off cuts recycled textiles, pool noodles, found objects.
A ghost net is a fishing net that’s been lost or abandoned in the ocean. These nets continue to trap everything in their path, presenting a major problem for the health of our oceans and marine life.
Ghost nets also entangle sea turtles, dolphins and porpoises, birds, sharks, seals, and more. The nets keep animals from moving freely, cause injuries, and keep mammals and birds from rising to the surface for air. hundreds of animals can be caught in a single net. Most modern nets are made of nylon or other plastic compounds that can last for centuries.Ghost nets make up at least 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Those abandoned fishing lines and nets that do breakdown, become smaller pieces of plastic. Marine animals mistake this microplastic for food and eat it, which can harm internal organs, keep them from eating, and expose them to toxic chemicals.
Further indications of the PLASTOCENE, a new era defined by organismal adaptation to the endless abundance of plastics and pollutants accumulating in our environment. Transitional forms that exemplify the fruits of the fossil-fuel consuming and the never-ending hunger for convenience and hyper-efficiency of the ANTHROPOCENE.
Again a BIG thank you to everyone at the at NGV and to Southern Guild and Leon at CXIXX
Photographs – Antonia Steyn Courtesy of Southern Guild and NGV
SUCKER FISH
Sucker fish – Beast 5 in a series of 5
PLASTOCENE -Marine Mutants From a Disposable, World NGV Triennial 2020
NGV International (National Gallery of Victoria) Melbourne, Australia.
1600mm high x 1500mm wide x 3100mm long
Steel, Plywood, chicken wire, nylon, recycled t shirt textiles, expired lifejackets.
Plastic straws are one of the most widely used, and therefore disposed of, plastic products. Many types of straws cannot be reused or recycled. Most plastic straws are also not biodegradable and cannot be broken down naturally by bacteria and other decomposers into non-toxic materials. Straws are particularly prone to ending up in our waterways, and ultimately the oceans, due to their light weight structure.
They are deadly for sea turtles, birds and marine animals, sharp and highly likely to be contaminated, these plastics can cause serious injuries or poisoning when eaten or inhaled.
If they do break down into ever-smaller particles, they release chemicals into the soil, air, and water that are harmful to animals, plants, people, and the environment.
Further indications of the PLASTOCENE, a new era defined by organismal adaptation to the endless abundance of plastics and pollutants accumulating in our environment. Transitional forms that exemplify the fruits of the fossil-fuel consuming and the never-ending hunger for convenience and hyper-efficiency of the ANTHROPOCENE.
Again a BIG thank you to everyone at the at NGV and to Southern Guild, Adri and Zanele of Mieliegirl for their incredible hand craft and trust, and Leon at CXIXX
Photographs – Antonia Steyn Courtesy of Southern Guild and NGV