Beyond the Deep

So much of the developed world is obsessed with consumerism. In a cyclic, seasonal habit, replacing the previous big thing, for this year's bigger and shinier, big thing. Through this endless act of consumption, we create countless amounts of waste.

So, how can we trigger a catalyst, underlining the dangers of this continual cycle, in an engaging and meaningful way? What message can we bring front and centre, into the public sphere, to share our desire to create change?

Quite literally, a larger than life, towering jellyfish installation, made predominantly from single-use plastic shopping bags. The relevancy of this connection between jellyfish and plastic bag is quite poignant, as it's not uncommon for wild sea life, especially turtles, to mistake plastic waste for a tasty jellyfish. By eating said plastic, the turtle has a slim chance of survival, typically causing intestinal blockages, or even rupturing internal organs. Quite grim, to say the least.

To mimic the natural beauty and wonder of jellyfish, we will use a sizeable array of fully-addressable RGB ⁠LEDs that will render the large scale installation in bright and colourful patterns. This creates an eye-catching spectacle, while also allowing onlookers to interact with the piece by selecting different lighting patterns through a digital panel. Key information about how destructive plastics are to our sea wildlife will appear on the digital interface, reinforcing our important message for change.

Sadly, the physical installation was not a permanent fixture in the campus. However, the impact during the exhibition night was prominent. Many local digital agencies and university supporters in attendance came away moved by the piece. For one, at the sheer size and scale of the installation, but also with the previously unknown facts surrounding the environmental side effects of plastic waste.

Thankfully, we were able to document our journey in creating this piece, and submit the work to a Greenpeace initiative for making change, called Disrupt Black Friday. We didn't win the overall competition, but our collective work was shortlisted for recognition.