It is estimated that in 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. When a new generation of designers take on the problem of waste in the ocean they consider the possibilities and materials of the future. With the exhibition Ocean Plastics the Röhsska Museum highlights various conceptual design projects where design can be seen as the solution, rather than the problem.
Marine littering is one of the major environmental issues of our time. Scientists have identified the problems caused by the pollution but they alone cannot solve them. This is where the field of design can contribute in a crucial way. Today, designers are becoming alchemists, scientists, activists and social entrepreneurs. Their involvement stems from interdisciplinary analysis, a collaborative spirit and a belief in design’s ability to contribute to the solution, rather than the problem.
The exhibition Ocean Plastics presents a selection of conceptual design projects which address plastic pollution by questioning our relationship to the sea, presenting strategies for cleaning up the oceans, recycling existing plastics and exploring the merits of bio-plastics.
The exhibition spans two floors and includes, among others, a whale tooth sculpture made from plastics collected from the ocean, single use containers made from algae, fossils of the future where the plastic waste has intermingled with natural sediments, and artefacts where residual materials from the Swedish plastic industry is given new life.
Adidas/Parley for the Ocean, Aurore Piette, Basse Stittgen, Christien Meindertsma, Formafantasma, Ina Johansson Lidman/Dave Hakkens, Jessica den Hartog, Malmö Upcycling Service, Margarita Talep, Ocean Clean-Up, Optimist för Havet, Roos Meerman, Snöhetta, Studio Swine, Yesenia Thibault-Picazo, PrimaLoft, Houdini.
The exhibition is produced by the Röhsska Museum.
Exhibition design and graphic concept. Wang & Söderström.
The Röhsska Museum wants to thank Chalmers University of Technology, The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation, Kvadrat, Stena Recycling, Göteborgstryckeriet and Arctic Paper.
Top image: Wang & Söderström