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Fighting plastic trash problems the Plasticology way
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Made from trash: Artist Made Bayak created the Plasticology campaign in the early 2000s when he was a student at the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) in Denpasar. (JP/Alez Kurniawan Ulung) (JP/Alez Kurniawan Ulung)
For 15 years, Balinese artist Made Bayak has promoted a greener Bali through his 'Plasticology' artworks.
Plasticology, a combination of "plastic" and "ecology", is a series of artworks created from plastic rubbish collected on the island. It aims to raise public awareness about Bali's environmental problems.
"The earlier generations passed down so many extraordinary things, such as knowledge, traditions and rituals. However, the current generation leaves this island with so much trash. My artwork tries to combine the noble values left by our ancestors with the plastic trash issue," Bayak explains.
The 41-year-old, who grew up in Tampaksiring, a town in Central Bali, was tired of seeing Bali exploited for tourism needs, which often left massive amounts of unsustainable waste.
Bayak believed that the teachings of Balinese ancestors, such as respecting water, were the answer to the environmental issues in Bali. His paintings evoke this belief.
Canvases
The Plasticology campaign, which Bayak started in the early 2000s, uses non-recyclable plastic waste, such as plastic bags, plastic packaging and bottle labels, as canvases.
