Gayatri Batra

THE GREAT WAVE OFF KANAGAWA

Concept Note:
The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a painting known by all. Its simplicity is its highlight and it provides us with a sense of tranquillity. Our students came up with an interesting twist of this masterpiece; using plastics.

We have used plastic in our project on the froth of the waves for a textural effect and to create a highlight on plastic’s hazardous nature. We may have heard all about it, but do we truly ever emphasise on its magnitude? Plastics choke the vast oceans and the several lives embedded within them. They maim the creatures that we once called beautiful.

The micro plastics we were so eager to get rid of, like a deceitful friend, find their way back to us through the fish we consume.100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone. 300 million tons of plastic is produced globally every year. Half of that plastic is used for disposable items that will only be used once, as a result, more than 8 million tons of discarded plastic ends up in our oceans every single year. Plastic management still tends to be a burning global issue ignored by many. The oceans stay suffering in silence. We give them a voice.