Modern art is rubbish
Friday 30 May 2008
A shark made of discarded hubcaps, a polar bear cub made of plastic bags and a dinosaur made from old tyres. These are just a three of the 21 remarkable sculptures forming the Love London Recycled Sculpture Show – now on at ZSL London Zoo.
© ZSL
Even the Zoo’s landmark symbol of modernist architecture, the grade I listed Berthold Lubetkin Penguin Pool, has been invaded by a plague of bugs made from salvaged car parts.
The show features works by artists including Heather Jansch and Emma Fenelon, and officially marks the start of the three-week Love London Festival of eco-events.
Sustainability Manager at ZSL London Zoo, Sophie Townsend, said: ‘ZSL is delighted to be taking part in the Love London Festival, and being able to host the Recycled Sculpture Show and launch the event is fantastic.
‘The sculptures really provoke debate about human waste and its effect on the natural world. There is no better setting for this than surrounded by some of the most endangered creatures on earth – many if which are close to extinction because of man’s insatiable lust for fresh resources.’
Christopher Harris, Director of the Love London, Love Your Planet festival, added: ‘This is a fantastic example of how rubbish can be used creatively, on this occasion to make objects of art; nothing really needs to be wasted. This show illustrates that point beautifully.’
The ultimate celebration of the secondhand, the Recycled Sculpture Show will be running at ZSL London Zoo until 5 September 2008.
For more information visit the Recycled Sculpture Show website.