Students make waves with waste message
Art students from Sunderland College have been making waves at a local beach with five striking sculptures created from discarded waste.
With the recent focus on the COP26 summit and the need for improved sustainability,the first year Art and Design students choseRok er Beach to create their artworks which were designed to highlight the importance of recycling waste to help combat climate change and increasing levels of plastics in our oceans.
Lily Howarth, 16, said: “Our art project was based on climatechange and how we could spread awareness.
"As a group of three, we decided to focus on how humans are directly affecting our planet through what we do everyday such as the waste we produce, which is often deposited around our own local environment.”
Fellow student, Ellie Bainbridge, 16, added: “In our group, we decided to create a sculpture of a turtle made from recyclable materials.
"This was with the intent of expressing the dangers of plastic pollution against our wildlife. We chose this idea as we believed it showed the most emotional value around the true dangers of waste.
“This project allowed me to learn the hazards of waste and climate change whilst building upon my team working skills. I also learned about how art can be used to express a topic and its importance.
"I believe that climate change is an important issue that must be brought to light because if we don't try reducing the contributions towards it now then there will be no way of reversing the effects in the future.”
The students created a total of five sculptures on the day for the public to see which were photographed before being dismantled and the waste items taken for recycling.
They also created QR code tags which are attached the railings along the promenade for future walkers and beachgoers to still enjoy their creations.
Art Lecturer, Jackie McDonagh, said: “We gave the students the direct question, how can climate change be brought to public attention through art?
"The students used unwanted and recycled materials, which showed great commitment to the theme.
"They are very interested in the theme of climate change and have demonstrated their passion through their pieces. The results were excellent and I’m extremely proud of them.”