Plastic Reef

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Artist: Ruth Tabancay

Title: Plastic Reef

Attribution: Plastic Reef, 2024. Ruth Tabancay

Year: 2024

Materials: Acrylic yarn, plastic discards, polystyrene, pins, canvas

Dimensions: 60" x 108" x 10"

Image Statement: Plastic Reef shows the effect of humans on the world's coral reefs. I use this and my other coral reef pieces to talk about the cascade that starts with burning of fossil fuels causing global warming, which increases the temperature of the ocean. This causes the death of the algae zooxanthellae which in turn cause the corals to die. Instead of the brilliant colors of the coral reefs, they become white, or bleached. I made coral reef organisms out of all colors of plastic to highlight human consumption. Are we trading our natural coral reefs for our dependence on plastic?