#CircularTuesday: How the art industry is promoting environmental sustainability

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#CircularTuesday: How the art industry is promoting environmental sustainability

Hello readers,

Welcome to #CircularTuesday on CleanbuildVoices!

In the world of art, works of the greatest artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s Monalisa, Michaelangelo’s David, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and a host of others still elicit interest in our modern times. This goes to show that great works will always endure the test of time.

Incidentally, the idea of a circular economy is to cut waste out of the economic system. In other words, an object is designed with longevity in mind and after end-of-life could be transformed into something else.

So, what role does the art industry play in supporting the circular economy, and what areas of opportunity does it open to artists? In today’s edition of our #CircularTuesday, we explore how a circular economic approach is offering the art industry transformative ways to create value out of waste while effectively managing resources.

Though often overlooked, artists including painters, sculptors, musicians, and film and theatre directors have an important role in promoting sustainability.

One area the art industry has adopted a circular economy is by reusing, sharing, leasing, reusing, remanufacturing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing costumes, sets, props, and equipment as long as they can, thereby prolonging the life cycle of a variety of items used in performances.

This doesn’t just give them points for sustainability but helps them reduce the cost of production.

Then again, we have artists that are creating art out of trash. In Africa, recycled art remains one of the most dynamic forms of contemporary art. Artists usually employ garbage and recovered items in the process of making art.

Leveraging trash scattered on the sidewalks, piled in the markets, debris discarded in the rivers, plastic bottles floating in the oceans, these innovators are creating amazing masterpieces that hang in art galleries for the world to admire.

Here are some contemporary recycled arts by Africans:

Art by Aristide Kouame, a 26-year old Ivorian who paints optical effects artworks on discarded flip flops

National Gallery, Zim recycled art

Scrap metal animal sculpture by Olu Amoda

Watch this space as we’ll be back next week for our Tuesday special.

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