Plastic Swell is a project created by Dylan Ansori and Karen Pang. To illustrate the critical situation our oceans are in, they gathered data on the accumulation of “macro-plastics” on the surface of the ocean and used it to drive the visuals seen in the sequence.
Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications. At least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year and make up 80% of all marine debris from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.
This data painting is a visual representation of the accumulation of “macro-plastics” on the surface of the ocean from 1950-2050. The Visuals depict an ocean consisting of nothing but plastic, where ONE particle represents ONE ton of plastic. This data painting projects into the future, following the scenario that nothing is done to stop the flow of plastic into our oceans.
The Brief:
Dylan ” As part of our university unit, Motion Design and New Technologies, we were tasked to design and develop a multi-agent generative video work suitable for presentation at White Night Melbourne or Bendigo.”
The Concept:
Dylan: “The idea for Plastic Swell came to me while I was surfing at Cape Woolamai, on Phillip Island, Victoria. Ironically, it was the lack of plastic rubbish both on the sand, and in the water that sparked the concept. Growing up on the island of Java returning from a surf with pockets filled with plastic debris and seeing it scattered for as far as the eye can see was common. The Indonesian coastline has always been one of its major attractions bringing in millions, with tourists travelling from around the world. However, its fragile balance is put in jeopardy with the amount of plastic pollution created by the country, only second to China. With at least eight million tons of plastic accumulating in the ocean every year, this ‘garbage emergency’ has adverse effects that extend beyond sustainability.”
“The design was developed as a building projection that encapsulates the motion of ocean waves in the form of a Particle System – with the varying density of particles illustrating the intensity of marine waste. Leveraging movement, boldness of colour and factual integrity, the concept thrives on capturing the attention of an audience to educate and empower people to take action – ultimately, creating generational change and inspiring a healthier environment for the future of all creatures, both on land and in the sea.”
The time to act is now!
