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Making visible, rendering obscure : Reading the plastic crisis through contemporary artistic visual representations

Chertkovskaya, Ekaterina LU ; Holmberg, Karl LU orcid ; Petersén, Moa LU orcid ; Stripple, Johannes LU and Ullström, Sara LU orcid (2020) In Global Sustainability 3.
Abstract
Since the mid-twentieth century, plastic has become a ubiquitous material. However, its produc- tion, consumption and disposal on a massive scale have led to a range of devastating conse- quences that together form the ‘plastic crisis’. This paper presents a novel mapping of the ways contemporary artistic visual representations narrate and politicize the plastic crisis through their different messages and aesthetics. Drawing on a multifaceted understanding of the plastic crisis and on how art navigates political and aesthetic spheres, an analysis of 35 artworks is con- ducted. Ocean plastic pollution emerges as a dominant theme, together with disposability; and these are connected to consumption patterns and consumer responsibility.... (More)
Since the mid-twentieth century, plastic has become a ubiquitous material. However, its produc- tion, consumption and disposal on a massive scale have led to a range of devastating conse- quences that together form the ‘plastic crisis’. This paper presents a novel mapping of the ways contemporary artistic visual representations narrate and politicize the plastic crisis through their different messages and aesthetics. Drawing on a multifaceted understanding of the plastic crisis and on how art navigates political and aesthetic spheres, an analysis of 35 artworks is con- ducted. Ocean plastic pollution emerges as a dominant theme, together with disposability; and these are connected to consumption patterns and consumer responsibility. However, less atten- tion is given to plastic’s dependence on fossil fuels and possible toxicity. The result is art of strik- ing beauty and emotional resonance, but that downplays the systemic nature of the plastic crisis and the urgent need to hold manufacturers and regulators to account. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
art, disposability, fossil dependency, pollution, plastic
in
Global Sustainability
volume
3
article number
e14
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85085033885
ISSN
2059-4798
DOI
10.1017/sus.2020.10
project
Narrating Climate Futures
STEPS – Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways, Phase 1
REINVENT Realising Innovation in Transitions for Decarbonisation
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8012758e-18d8-4864-8bd5-0f4c7883d848
date added to LUP
2020-02-03 11:06:44
date last changed
2024-01-16 20:13:13
@article{8012758e-18d8-4864-8bd5-0f4c7883d848,
  abstract     = {{Since the mid-twentieth century, plastic has become a ubiquitous material. However, its produc- tion, consumption and disposal on a massive scale have led to a range of devastating conse- quences that together form the ‘plastic crisis’. This paper presents a novel mapping of the ways contemporary artistic visual representations narrate and politicize the plastic crisis through their different messages and aesthetics. Drawing on a multifaceted understanding of the plastic crisis and on how art navigates political and aesthetic spheres, an analysis of 35 artworks is con- ducted. Ocean plastic pollution emerges as a dominant theme, together with disposability; and these are connected to consumption patterns and consumer responsibility. However, less atten- tion is given to plastic’s dependence on fossil fuels and possible toxicity. The result is art of strik- ing beauty and emotional resonance, but that downplays the systemic nature of the plastic crisis and the urgent need to hold manufacturers and regulators to account.}},
  author       = {{Chertkovskaya, Ekaterina and Holmberg, Karl and Petersén, Moa and Stripple, Johannes and Ullström, Sara}},
  issn         = {{2059-4798}},
  keywords     = {{art; disposability; fossil dependency; pollution; plastic}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Global Sustainability}},
  title        = {{Making visible, rendering obscure : Reading the plastic crisis through contemporary artistic visual representations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/sus.2020.10}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/sus.2020.10}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}