Social Creatures
Issues of sustainability and preservation of our planet have always been close to my heart and are now more important than ever. I have always tried to recycle and shop thoughtfully as much as possible but the arrival of Covid 19 meant that the luxury of choosing food products without unnecessary plastic wrapping for example, became somewhat of a dream, especially as a single parent of three in isolation.
To tackle my sense of guilt and responsibility, I began creating sculptures of unusual and threatened species, constructed entirely out of household waste. It allowed me to monitor just how much unavoidable waste my family generates and subsequently to make something I felt was beautiful and wanted from what would have otherwise been discarded for landfill. My “Social Creatures” are a message to others: “Protect, conserve, enhance. Think creatively, think sustainably, and rethink your everyday [and most likely non-critical] needs for the greater good of ALL that need our planet for survival.”
Although the arrival of Coronavirus brought with it significant global tragedy in terms of personal loss of lives, I felt it was crucial to look for the positives, otherwise risk falling into a state of mass depression. The positives I noticed were a reduction in air pollution, communities coming together, and wildlife finally having the peace to explore our shared world further. I read stories of goats taking over silent towns and dolphins travelling further afield as river waters cleared, which in turn inspired me to photograph my creatures in the empty streets, symbolising the possibilities of significant environmental change for greater good at this particular juncture in history.
