We are placing our mark on the earth by how we live, what we consume, what we throw away and what can’t go away. Much of the United States national identity
is associated with capitalism and consumerism. We as consumers, express our place in the world through the acquisition of goods for ourselves and our homes. The by-product of these purchases is the plastic bag. According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags are consumed in the U.S. each year. Even with a dedicated effort to recycle, the alarmingly high rate of consumption far surpasses the benefits recycling can offer. They never biodegrade — surviving for centuries on our land and oceans. It breaks up into tiny little pieces that contaminate soil, pollute our oceans and endangers species. The word “artifact” has many meanings... “any object made by human beings; a handmade object characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage; any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society”. Plastics represent the eternal artifacts of our modern world. Through the process of collecting reclaimed plastic bags and manipulating them through a variety of methods such as heat fusing, sewing and weaving; my work explores the use of plastic as product rather than simply a by-product of our daily habit of consumption. In doing so, I challenge the viewer to question the original intent and necessity of single use disposable plastics while offering alternative solutions to this problem.