See the scale and scope of plastic waste in our oceans at the “Skyscraper” (The Bruges Whale), “Have We Breached The Limit?” exhibit at the ArtScience Museum. Several tonnes of plastic waste from the North Pacific Gyre – ranging from hangers and kitchen bowls to toilet seats and car bumpers – was shaped into the iconic “Skyscraper”, an imposing, 11m tall whale serving as a stark visual reminder of the 150 million tonnes of plastic polluting our waters. With an estimated 8 million tonnes added every year, pound for pound, there is more plastic waste in the ocean than there are whales and the sculpture is a physical example of why we need to change how we use and dispose of plastic waste today.
Designed by award-winning architects and designers Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang from the acclaimed StudioKCA in New York, the piece is an interpretation of the theme “liquid city” for the 2018 Bruges Triennial. Inspired by the biggest liquid city on the planet – the ocean, Jason and Lesley collected as much plastic from the seas over four months to form the basis of the installation.
“Skyscraper” (The Bruges Whale), “Have We Breached the Limit?” is a free public exhibit that will be on display outside ArtScience Museum until 19 December 2019.