Perhaps one of the greatest gifts of art is its ability to get us viewing complex problems in a simpler light. That’s how we felt when first viewing these images sent to us from South Africa-based artist Thirza Schaap.
Created out of a desire to spread awareness about the increasing amount of plastic in our oceans, Thirza takes strikingly beautiful photographs out of composed trash that she’s collected from the beach.
“In making artistic sculptures out of the objects I find, I try to evoke an emotional response from my audience by creating a contradiction,” she says. “A clash between initial aesthetic attraction and after a second look: repulsion and the realization of the tragedy trash causes.”
“Our beaches are covered in plastic confetti and there really is nothing to celebrate,” she continues.
As they did for us, we hope these images can be a poignant reminder to think twice about the amount of plastic we use and throw away. No action is every too small when it leads to a cleaner, healthier, happier planet for everyone.
More of Thirza’s work can be found for sale on her website:Â http://plastic-ocean.net/.
[action_button]Images via Thirza Schaap
