BEACH COUTURE:
A HAUTE MESS
Bondi Pavillion
2025 TBC
Marina DeBris (artivist)
We don’t know what will remain of us centuries from now but one thing’s certain: there will be plastic, lots of plastic.
Plastic pollution has become ubiquitous in our oceans and on our shores. Beach Couture: A Haute Mess, is a collection of wearable pieces made from trash collected from the beaches and oceans. It makes visible, in grotesquely amusing fashion, what is often overlooked--but shouldn’t be. Ideally, viewers will be provoked to take some action in their everyday use of plastic items.
"The Ones That Got Away"
Created for MyTOMRA Australia, ‘The Ones That Got Away’ is made of single-use plastic bottles and cans that have washed up on Coogee Beach and Gordons Bay.
This piece is a warning that we must clean up our act so this is not the mermaid of our future.
"Do I Make Myself Clear?"
Materials: Takeaway containers found washed up on Coogee Beach and Gordons Bay. Dummy form found on a nearby street.
People have relied on takeaway food options more than ever before since the onset of COVID. Plastic containers and cutlery can break down into sharp, often contaminated pieces that can cause serious internal injuries to marine life and seabirds who eat them. Containers can also develop holes that can trap small marine creatures. The non-recyclable nature of most takeaway packaging is usually overlooked in favour of short-term convenience.