A collaboration between the Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub and The Sirens Collective will bring recycled plastics research into an inner-city immersive art installation later this month.
The Golden Mile Grotto will transform Darlinghurst Community Space into “an underwater world inspired by marine life, mythology and queer creativity,” part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About Oxford Street program.
Hub researcher and UNSW materials science and engineering PhD candidate Asiyeh Kheradmand used 3D printing of recycled plastic to produce three-dimensional coral, cuttlefish and water-worn statues designed by artist Shoufay Derz, based on items from Shoufay’s family history.
“I really enjoyed working with the artists to turn their designs into sculptures using recycled plastic," said Asiyeh.
"My research focuses on repurposing waste, so it was rewarding to see it used in such a creative way."
The statues will share the Golden Mile Grotto space with woven forms by Wiradjuri and Māori artist Ngaire Pakai and recycled disco coral created by artist George Buchanan.
The collaboration reflects a shared interest in how materials, places and communities can be reimagined.
Recycled plastic is no longer simply waste or pollution. Much of the plastic filament used in 3D printing in the UNSW MicroFactorie, for example, is repurposed from end-of-life printers, thanks to a partnership with RenewIT, leaders in plastic recycling.
Through innovative technology, repurposed plastic waste morphs into playful undersea statues in an interactive art installation, where visitors are invited to "dive into a world of transformation."
The Hub’s work with The Sirens Collective has turned discarded plastics into part of a shared artwork about marine life, memory, identity and renewal.
Event details:
The Golden Mile Grotto by The Sirens Collective (Art & About Oxford St)
Darlinghurst Community Space, 277 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October.
