Litter Critter: An Artwork

Made from a blue gift ribbon, packaging for a Star Wars action figure, and a resealable bag used to hold dark chocolate pomegranate snacks, this duck is just what the name suggests: a critter made of litter. This photo has been filtered to compensate for low image quality, but the project has otherwise been unaltered from my original creation.

Every artwork is interpreted and experienced differently for each viewer, and if you took away something different from what is being discussed in this blog post, that is perfectly fine! Feel free to discuss your own interpretation in the comments or in this discussion thread!

As for myself, when I look at my own art project, there are three things I tend to associate with it:

1. Recycling: Prior to the creation of this art project, I had a "collection of random objects," which was a collection containing a medley of plastic, cardboard, and excess trinkets that normally would have been thrown away. I collected these objects in part as a joke. At the same time, however, I was also very environmentally conscious when I first started making this collection, and I was aware that this trash could have ended up in a landfill had I not salvaged and incorporated it into my collection. If there had to be trash, could there be a way to use it for something creative or productive? I do not have the skill and expertise to use these scraps to manufacture entire products, but with a glue stick, a paper, and some of these scraps, I knew I could easily create art projects like this one! In other words, I used recycling as a means to channel my own creativity. I already tried to make it a regular habit to indulge in artistic passions, so why not channel my artistic passions in a sustainable manner? This art project reminds me of this National Geographic story about how artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo used trash to create artwork.

2. Irony: When we think of environmentalism, we think of ecosystems and the living things in them. There are plants, fungi, bacteria, and, of course, animals. Littering in an animal's habitat would reasonably be considered environmental degradation. Yet here I was, making an animal-something environmentalists would have sought to protect-with litter-something environmentalists would have disdained! This irony reminds me of the concept of greenwashing, or exaggerating the environmental friendliness of a product or service to attract more customers. This drawing depicts a duck using plastic material, which can be considered analogous to a company depicting itself as being environmentally friendly while still proceeding to implement environmentally destructive practices.

3. Progress: While this artwork can most certainly be interpreted as an environmental symbol, I would also like to emphasize how it can be considered an ode to progress and resourcefulness. Some may reasonably argue that technological advancement and increased industrialization has contributed to the emission of greenhouse gases and the pollution of ecosystems. This is indeed true, but I do not want this project to be used to decry the use of technology and advocate the complete avoidance of it-this art project, in fact, can be used to symbolize the complete opposite! For instance, medical devices such as ultrasound, x-rays, and defibrillators require the generation of electricity to power them, which inevitably relies on the usage of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions in order to be manufactured. Waste for these technologies is inevitable, but at least this waste is being used to save and enrich human lives. Likewise, there are technologies that also rely on renewable energy sources to be powered; they are technologies, yes, but if designed in a conscientious and sustainable manner, they can still be environmentally friendly. Just as waste products and finite resources were used to create an entire art project, waste-inducing practices and finite resources can still be used to contribute to he societal good and a more environmentally conscious society. The environmental movement does not have to entail the hindering of technological progress. Environmentalism can be balanced with and complemented by technological progress.

Got something different out of this art project? Once again, feel free to tell me in the comments or in this discussion thread!