Oh say can you see, what we have done to our sea?
My original idea for a title was “Poseidon’s paramour perishes from prolific polymers”, but that did not capture the seriousness of the concept itself. The shape of the garment is similar to the classic mermaid style silhouette. Inspiring the overall design concept was the green fabric remnant. Not wanting to cut it, I used rope as a way to gather the neckline and support the weight added below. The lower portion is made from discarded plastic wrappings, bags, packaging and other such textiles woven on a warp of string. I wanted this trash to appear to be settling down to the ocean floor and spreading out, piling up and drowning out the beauty of the ocean itself. The headpiece uses a former beer cozy in the shape of a fish, choking on a mouth full of plastics, dying from the filth we have created. Studies estimate there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the world's oceans. Plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Marine plastic pollution has impacted at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species and 43% of all marine mammal species. My garment is here to bring awareness to this environmental tragedy. Media:Fabric remnant, rope, fish-line, aquarium plants, string, plastics: trash, discards, tubing, lids, detritus