Wildlife sculptures made from rubbish
Aselection of wildlife sculptures made out of recycled rubbish is being displayed at an exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire, England. The sculptures have been created by Nottinghamshire-based artist Michelle Reader, who has been working with recycled materials for over 20 years.
The inspiration behind this collection of artwork was the increase in fly-tipping during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Fly-tipping is when people illegally dump rubbish or litter in a public place.
Reader told the BBC, “Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust showed me some of the materials that were found on their reserves – a washing machine, rusty bike frame, car tyres.” She decided to create wildlife sculptures out of these materials to encourage people to think about the damage flytipping can do to the environment and wildlife. Her three-dimensional artworks included recycled items such as skis, a gas mask, and washing machine parts.
Reader often draws inspiration from the “beauty of the natural world”, and said that the large model of the white-tailed bumblebee was inspired by the many hours she spent on her allotment during the pandemic. Another sculpture, of a bearded vulture, was inspired by the sighting of one such bird in the Peak District in July 2020. This was only the second time it had been spotted in the UK.
Other projects Reader has been involved with have highlighted issues such as the importance of recycling and reducing food waste. In April, the National Space Centre in Leicester, England, launched their Home Planet gallery, which featured an art installation from Reader.
Using rubbish found in rivers, such as plastic bottles, tennis balls, footwear, and toys, Reader created a large wave sculpture to highlight the problem of littering.
Reader says that through her sculptures she draws attention to environmental issues in an attractive and humorous way. The exhibition is on at Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire, England, until 24 July.