MAINSITE Contemporary Art: ONE: Avant-Garde
It’s always fun to visit MAINSITE Contemporary Art in Norman, OK. Today’s opening was especially exciting because it was my first gallery outing since the beginning of the pandemic. I had the privilege of showing two works at this exhibit, The Problem with Plastic No.1 and The Problem with Plastic No.4. Both paintings utilize the ubiquitous plastic bag to create the image and the material adds to the content of these paintings.
Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture. It only takes about 14 plastic bags for the equivalent of the gas required to drive one mile. The average American family takes home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year. At least 267 different species have been affected by plastic pollution in the ocean. 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags annually. Plastic bags are used for an average of 12 minutes. It takes 500 (or more) years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. Unfortunately the bags don't break down completely but instead photo-degrade, becoming microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment. Facts provided by The Center for Biological Diversity.
The Problem with Plastic No.1, oil and plastic bag on panel, 16 x 12 in, 2020.
The Problem with Plastic No.4, oil and plastic bag on panel, 16 x 12 in, 2020.