Recycled Art & its Critique on Contemporary Society

Recycling can take many forms. Though most people will associate recycling with the retrieval of fundamental materials for reuse in manufacturing, it can also be achieved through a variety of creative mediums. Many artists use rubbish or recyclable material to create sculptures or other pieces of artwork. This grants the items a new purpose instead of being sent to landfill where they will inevitably rot and pollute the environment.

This article is going to detail some of the most creative and fascinating recycled art.

“Bristol Whales” by Sue Lipscombe

A large sculpture depicting whales diving out of water has marked Bristol as the UK’s first European green capital. The art installation, created by Sue Lipscombe, comprises over 100,000 single-use plastic bottles and provides a stark juxtaposition between the natural beauty of the ocean and the nasty pollution that lies within it. The bottles were collected from the Bristol 10k and Bath Half Marathon. Plastic remains one of the biggest waste issues facing our planet today.

“Shadow sculptures” by Tim Noble and Sue Webster

Tim Noble and Sue Webster are a couple from Nottingham who build sculptures from rubbish and recyclable materials. The sculptures themselves aren’t the feature, however; when a light is shone at them, the sculptures project incredibly detailed shadows onto the blank canvas behind them.

The art, in addition to being a feat of incredible skill, highlights how beauty can reside from even the most useless-seeming waste.

Vik Muniz

Vik Muniz is one of the leading names in recyclable art, so much so that a film was made documenting his art. The Brazilian artist and photographer has created a wealth of notable art pieces using waste and recyclable items. He often creates large-scale pieces that, when viewed from above, create stunning scenes, often featuring humans or landscapes.

The pieces of art themselves are as impactful as they are beautiful. They make important statements concerning our waste and its impact on the planet.

Why is recycle art important?

Recycle art provides a new purpose for objects that have satisfied their original use. Using these objects in artwork conserves resources and reduces the amount going to landfill.

In addition, recycle art promotes an important message. Its serves as a reminder of the issues facing our planet and serves to inspire others to change their lifestyle and reuse their items in new, creative ways.

Art is just one of many ways to repurpose items. Magazines and newspapers can be reused as wrapping paper, old or damaged CDs can be used as coasters, and glass jars can be made into candles.

Woodford Recycling care deeply about the environmental issues facing our planet. Our business seeks to recycle as much as possible from your waste, sending as little to landfill as possible. Thanks to our new state-of-the-art facility and professional team, our aim is now set at recycling 100% of the waste we receive. If you’d like to make a difference, choose Woodford Recycling. We offer a wide selection of services — from skip hire to liquid waste disposal — to all customers throughout Cambridgeshire, including Huntingdon, Peterborough and the surrounding towns. If you’d like to enquire further, contact us online or give us a call today.