A new exhibition focusing on plastic pollution in our seas and oceans will be on display at the Collection Museum in Lincoln from 23 October to 19 December 2021.
'Our Plastic Ocean' by international award-winning photographer Mandy Barker, features items collected from shorelines across the world transformed into powerful and captivating images.
From accompanying scientists on an expedition from Hawaii to Japan, tracing the debris of the 2011 Tsunami, to a voyage on board Greenpeace's Beluga II to the Inner Hebrides, Mandy Barker has followed a trail of plastic pollution across the globe.
The exhibition includes works such as the series Soup, meticulously detailed composite images of discarded plastic objects; Albatross revealing 276 pieces of plastic found inside the stomach of a 90 day old albatross chick; and Beyond Drifting, which sees Barker trace the footsteps of nineteenth century botanist John Vaughan Thompson who collected plankton specimens, the ocean's most basic life-form.
Barker says: “For the past decade, I have researched and documented the impact of oceanic waste, combining art and science to raise awareness. I hope to inspire positive action in tackling this increasing environmental challenge which is of global concern."
James Sharples, from the Collection Museum, comments: "This exhibition is hard-hitting and thought provoking. It helps us raise awareness of climate change and to shine a light on the core principles of the Council's Green masterplan -decarbonising our services and supporting businesses and communities to embrace a low carbon future.
"Waste minimisation is a key partof the Council's plan and we'd encourage everyone to think about all the resources and materials they use, and to use everything wisely. We hope this exhibition will act as a real conversation starter with our visitors."
The exhibition will be supportedby further information and resources provided by Plastic Free Lincoln, a community organisation who are working towards plastic free community status for the City of Lincoln.
Louise Brown, co-leader of Plastic Free Lincoln, adds: “We want to empower our community to take action after seeing this illuminating exhibition, so are really pleased to be able to support visitors to learn more about Plastic Free Lincoln and the single-use plastic swaps they could make."
The exhibition will also be accompanied bya series of talks and workshops, including a public event with photographer Mandy Barker.
For more information, visit www.thecollectionmuseum.com.