Let’s Live With Less Plastic: The Pink Bear Highlights Plastic Pollution Across UK Billboards

In July 2020, I participate in the Let’s Live With Less Plastic exhibition, curated by environmental advocate Tia Grazette. The exhibition marks the ten-year anniversary of the Plastiki Expedition and coincides with #PlasticFreeJuly. My photograph, The Plastic Flood, featuring the Pink Bear, is displayed on large digital billboards in major UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Newcastle.

The aim is to use art to highlight the escalating issue of plastic pollution, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As disposable masks and gloves add to the existing problem of single-use plastics, it's crucial to remind the public of the importance of reducing plastic usage. Tia Grazette notes, "More and more people have put plastic-free thoughts to the back of their minds as they deal with the urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic but plastic pollution is escalating at a dramatic rate."

I'm proud to be among a diverse group of artists contributing to this initiative, including Sarah Maple, Todd Francis, Jef Gillette, Dianna Cohen, Heath Kane, Iona Magnus, Paul Davis, Aaron Axelrod, I Fucking Hate London, Tia Grazette, Lois Winstone, Charlie Arsan, and Illuminati Neon. The artworks are designed to be thought-provoking and engaging, encouraging viewers to consider their relationship with plastic and its impact on the environment.

Through The Plastic Flood, I aim to convey the overwhelming presence of plastic waste in our daily lives and the urgent need for change. By placing the Pink Bear amidst a sea of plastic, the image serves as a visual metaphor for the inundation of our environment with plastic pollution.

This exhibition is a call to action, urging individuals to make conscious choices to reduce their plastic consumption and protect our planet for future generations.