Life in Plastic – It’s Fantastic?

Barbie has shown us the way: a life in and of plastic. Symbolically-speaking, the material stands for artificial and man-made; last but not least, it contributes significantly to environmental pollution. However, LFI Gallery photographers have managed to transform what initially appears to be one of our modern day’s most problematic materials, into something completely new: they use existing plastic to create colourful aesthetic compositions, demonstrating how an artistic eye can turn an environmentally harmful material into something surprisingly beautiful. Whether it’s radios for listening to the morning news, PET bottles with drinks in various flavours, or brightly-coloured balloons for celebrations of all kinds – plastic is presented as a conspicuous companion of everyday life and a mirror of our consumer culture – a visual stimulus staged in a variety of different ways. 

1. Vasco Trancoso
"Plastic rubbish – from large pieces all the way down to microplastics – represents a significant threat to marine life and for the ecosystem. A child appears to be playfully fleeing from an enormous wave made out of plastic, where a few fish still manage to survive. The picture serves as a metaphor for plastic pollution in a seemingly fun leisure activity."  

2. Giuseppe Pons
"It was easy to see that the woman was not happy to play Barbie on this particular day. I was struck by this contradiction and imbalance – between the cheerful, comical scene she has to convey, all day long, and her actual reality." 

3. Michela Toschi
"The inconspicuous presence of street vendors from southern China contrasts with the conspicuous presence of plastic bags, chairs and small colourful containers. This detail shatters the illusion of being in a distant time, and pulls us back to the present."

4. Myeongcheol Oh
"As I entered the house built out of yellow construction helmets, sunlight streamed through the plastic. The helmets transformed the room into a chamber, shining with warm yellow light. I was fascinated by the fact that the plastic, which we know as a hard and artificial material, had taken on this soft, glowing form." 

5. Byung Jo Kim
"The man was using the red plastic chair to take a moment’s rest. In our hectic everyday lives, it seems that both people and animals need a breather. The chair’s red colour shines like a warning light, admonishing the viewer about the importance of having a break."

6. Peter Schäublin
"Nepal’s first PET recycling centre was established in Pokhara. It offers prospects to homeless youths, as the facility gives them work as suppliers and bottle collectors. The woman in the picture exudes pride and self-confidence. She can make an income that allows her to lead a more self-determined life. Despite what appears to be an endless mountain of bottles, she sets about her work full of energy." 

7. Marx Cui
"I came across these colourful balloons in a park on a lake in Qinhuangdao, China. I was delighted by the intensity of the colours of the globes, but also wanted to fill in the gaps between them with a little texture. This resulted in an interplay of complementary colours."

8. Sen Yang
At the local Farmer’s Market in St. Augustine, Florida, there was a booth selling colourful birds made out of PVC. I was fascinated by the shadow of the owner setting up to open for business, holding one of these rather life-like birds in his hand. 

9. Massimo Saretta
"People in Bangladesh live under very specific climatic and socio-economic conditions  – not least because of the prevailing environmental pollution, which people in socially-disadvantaged areas are particularly powerless to combat. As evidenced in this scene, plastic is a big part of their everyday lives."

10. Minwoo Jin
"Once discarded pieces of plastic are given a new lease on life inside a vending machine. With bright colours and familiar cartoon characters, they now wait patiently to be selected. They are no longer just plastic – they hold memories, dreams and little moments of comfort."

11. Wojciech Grzedzinski
"This scene in Vilnius touched me. The contrast between the flashy jacket and rummaging through the rubbish bin seems like a piece of mundane absurdity. It holds up a mirror to our “ideal society”."