LIKE WATER THROUGH PLASTIC


Plastic pollution of our waterways is a critical issue facing the entire world. Approximately 300 million tons of plastic is produced yearly, and less than 10 percent is recycled. As many as 8 million tons per year ends in our oceans and waterways, where it entangles marine mammals, birds and fish and lodges in their stomachs, causing death. As plastic starts breaking into smaller particles, it is consumed by humans and may cause cancer and fertility problems. A recent study by the World Wildlife Fund found that most people consume the equivalent of one credit card of plastic per week. Plastic refuse is found in almost all waterways and has formed massive floating islands in our oceans.


After encountering numerous plastic and glass objects on land and in water, I chose to begin incorporating these found objects directly into my work as a sort of "supplemental lens." The distorted view of the landscape created by these objects is emblematic of the negative impact they have on the environment. At the same time, the subtle beauty of the images reminds us of the resilience of nature and the capacity of humans to solve this problem if there is enough will.


Images have been captured near important waterways in many parts of the world, including: Lake Baikal and the Angara River in Eastern Siberia; the Southern Bug River, Ingul River and Sea of Azov in Ukraine; the Adriatic Sea in Croatia and Montenegro; the Danube and Ipel Rivers in Slovakia and Hungary; and the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay in the United States.

Using Format