The Plastic Ocean exhibition is being shown underwater on the wreck of the USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, an artificial reef off the coast of Key West, Florida (24.27 N, 81.44 W).
Created by award-winning photographer Andreas Franke, Plastic Ocean is designed to draw attention to the problem of plastics in our oceans. The project is comprised of three series of images: the first features models, representing all that is beautiful in the world; the second features children and babies, representing the future. Both groups were shot in water among plastic garbage collected along the coast of Italy in a single day. The final set of images isolates individual plastic items from the first two series and juxtaposes them with statements about the problem of plastic in our oceans.
To maximize the impact of the project, the works are first being shown in the ocean, where the plastic problem is most acute. While underwater, they will undergo a transformation as salt and microorganisms in the ocean interact with the art, resulting in a unique patina—the signature of the sea.
Upon conclusion of the underwater exhibition, the works will be brought back to the surface, dried, and sealed to preserve their unique patina, capturing—for non-divers and divers alike—the beauty of the ocean and the creatures that dwell within it in the hopes that they will be inspired to help.
Each work in the Plastic Ocean exhibition is a unique. While they are under the water, individual works can be reserved. An Inquire link can be found beneath the description for each work.
