2050

Judith Quinn Garnett

50 x 41 inches

2018

ARTIST STATEMENT

2018 began with the daunting reality that China would no longer accept plastic recycling from the US due to the comingled abundance of contaminated waste. I was impelled to observe the use of plastics in my own home and began collecting our discarded bags. The pile of seemingly thoughtless waste multiplied as I realized that even our Portland newspapers arrive in plastic bags. As my concern grew, I began fusing the bags as the surface of this piece. As we ignore this growing mound, research states that by 2050 the plastics that have migrated into the North Pacific will be greater than the population of fish. I hope we can shift the tides of consumption before we drown in the plastic ocean we created.

MATERIALS

Over 150 shopping bags, my daily newspaper bags, plastic netting from a neighborhood garage sale, a discarded plastic party table cloth from the recycle center, 100% ECO recycled polyester felt, a repurposed cotton bed sheet

GUIDE BY CELL NUMBER

To hear the artist speak about the artwork, call (703) 520-6404 and enter 2184 followed by the # sign.