PLASTIC PERSPECTIVES
Plastic is a lightweight, cheap and convenient material. But its ubiquitous presence raises uncomfortable questions: about overconsumption, waste and the use of fossil resources. About our desire to shape, bend and color products in endless variation. Plastic Perspectives explores humanity’s relationship with this material, which despite its short history has come to play a pivotal role in our modern society.
Through design, art and architecture Plastic Perspectives explores how, when and why the material should be used. Because today, plastic is everywhere on Earth, even visible from space, and impossible to completely remove.
The exhibition, which is based on several years of research, examines our often-uncritical relationship with plastic and highlights that everything that is produced must be taken care of. We are challenged to change our view of plastic, from something ugly that is often thrown away, to a material that can be refined through craft and become objects worth keeping. It reflects on the human need to color plastic in thousands of nuances – despite the knowledge that color and additives make plastic more difficult to recycle. Plastic Perspectives addresses recycling and takes a critical look at today’s agricultural and food production systems. Ten artists depart from current research through different methodologies and artistic expressions.
The exhibition’s themes are also reflected in its design, which expresses that plastic can have different structures, colors and sheen. The textile elements consist of crafted industrial plastic waste and borrowed textiles made from recycled polyester. The podiums are painted in plastic-free paint and the floor surface features bio-based plastic.
Plastic Perspectives conveys that change towards more sustainable plastic use must take place in all sectors, at the individual as well as the societal level. The solutions are not simple, but many, and include everything from changed and reduced production and consumption, more reuse and better recycling, to a radically changed view of what a modern society can and should be. It all starts in the conversations about the potential and problems of plastic.
The exhibition includes:
Andréason & Leibel, designers Kristin Leibel and Kristian Andréason
Sogol Baghban, architect and university lecturer at KTH
Melissa Ciardullo, interdisciplinary designer
Ebba Lindgren, designer and artist
Johan Löfgren, artist
Pontus Johansson, children’s culture designer and lecturer at HDK-Valand
Gabriel Stuart, architect and designer
The Ninevites Design Studio, Nkuli Mlangeni-Berg, textile designer
Kajsa Willner, designer
The works are inspired by the research programme STEPS (Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways), which is led by Lund University. The exhibition is funded by Formas and is a collaboration between researchers, Form/Design Center, Konstfack and Formprocess.
Exhibition design and curator: Julia Hertzman, Formprocess.
Exhibition production: Noomi Egan, Lund University, Julia Hertzman, Formprocess and Anna Gudmundsdottir, Form/Design Center.
In collaboration with Astrid, Bolon, Polykemi and Toniton
