Marine Pollution

This was my final piece for the Plymouth College of Art Degree Show, being based around marine pollution and the unprecedented amount of marine life that perishes each year due to human carelessness. The piece consists of three panels, telling a story of a group of turtles at different stages of their lives. The middle panel represents the present, where our oceans are full of plastic waste that the turtles, and other sea life, are becoming entangled in and ingesting. This engraving focuses on the huge percentage of packaging and products that do not degrade, yet are still considered 'disposable'. This ‘present’ panel is sandwiched between a past and an aspirational future panel, where there is no plastic. This is to show how the sea could return to an idyllic state, before humans introduced waste that lasts forever, if we work together to stop this behaviour and clear up our oceans.

'Without the ocean we would lose one of the lungs of the planet and it’s a critical aspect of the whole web of life'

- 2018

- Hand engraved

- Sheet glass

- Mounted on driftwood found on a local beach

- Illuminated from below

'Alice's creative process is inspired by the beauty of nature and her passion for raising awareness of environmental issues. With Plymouth having recently achieved 'plastic free' status, as part of a major new plan to tackle single use plastics and plastic pollution more generally, it's exciting to see Alice producing work which is highly relevant and thought provoking.'

Sarah Holcombe

Employer Engagement Manager