'Waste plastic'​ artist washes up on London beach for new film about global plastic environmental crisis.

Below Steve McPherson (left) is the subject of new film launched Tuesday (July 22nd) on Oxo beach, London, England where he was collecting waste plastic. He also discuss the film 'Plastic Song' by Julian Hanford (right) which highlights the global plastic environmental crisis by featuring Steve's waste plastic art.  


In addition the film examines the process by which his art is created from flotsam and jetsam plastic Steve finds on the south coast of England. The ultimate purpose of the film is to be an engagement tool to highlight the issue of plastic pollution.

Film maker Julian Hanford wanted to highlight how wasteful and negligent our civilisation has become even as the catastrophic consequences of mass pollution continue unabated. Reflecting on this Julian  has collaborated with Steve McPherson to produce a film titled 'Plastic Song' – a beautifully made short film which captures McPherson’s creative process and raises important questions. plastic to exhibit and discuss the interesting items. 

The film illustrates how Steve diligently collects pieces of discarded plastic off the beaches around Margate in Kent, where he lives. He spends a great amount of time sorting it, collating it and then using it to create extraordinary complex artworks. What resonated with Julian is that his work calmly presents the viewer with the extent of our civilisation’s wasteful and negligent attitude to plastic pollution and turns the problem on.

The film through Steve's work calmly presents the viewer with the extent of our civilisation’s wasteful and negligent attitude to plastic pollution and turns the problem on its head by re-purposing these objects and pieces into intricate patterns and structures. The outcome of seeing these works is an uncomfortable feeling of truth about the extent of our totally disposable and trivial culture.

The film maker Julian Hanford is an established photographer with a long career in advertising. After having directed many TV commercials, Plastic Song marks his first foray into the documentary genre. Touching and atmospheric, it was inspired by his interest in the visual arts and the conceptual depth of Steve McPherson’s work.

Plastic song, in line with the artists own attitudes, aims to display the harsh truth and allow the audience to develop their own opinions towards pollution and lifestyle. Ultimately it is an engagement tool to highlight the issue of plastic pollution. The film is being launched as part of Plastic Free July the global tidal movement to reduce single use plastic.  On The 22nd July Steve and Julian will also discuss how these items get to where they are found, down the Thames, and also how plastic waste moves around the world on the ocean currents.

Photo Alistair Veryard Photography 

Some media coverage


Location: London, UK

Comments

Post a Comment