Cape Town: The Museum of Plastic, an interactive virtual gallery that provides audiences with the view into what life would look like if we curb climate change, has opened its doors.
The museum reflects on humanity’s historic and future relationship with plastic and was a part of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which was hosted in Glasgow, UK, the past two weeks.
The South African component is co-created by Baz-Art, an NPO specialising in creating public engagement through urban art, with eco-activist organisation Greenpop .
Co-founder and CEO of Greenpop, Misha Teasdale, said that the Museum of Plastic was inspired by the organisation’s efforts to come together with the use of new technology and art to create an immersive experience that will bring the public to the heart of key issues.
“While plastic has contributed to vast developments in several industries and has been an incredible tool used in the evolution of medicine, packaging and several industrial developments, we do however need a clear perspective on how it is used negatively so that we may reduce plastic pollution.”
Co-founder of Baz-art, Alexandre Tilmans, said that visitors can look forward to engaging with art in a unique and interactive way.
“The virtual museum was co-created by a company that works in the world of gaming. So viewers can interact with the art pieces and see them from different angles and perspectives, while also being able to talk to people logged in and viewing from other places in the world.”
Tilmans said that the museum will give hindsight and foreseeing into what the world and plastic would have evolved to in the next hundred years.
“For gaming and art fanatics alike, audiences will learn the importance of establishing a circular economy and find out how activism and individual action happening now will lead to positive change in the future.”
Research shows that currently, plastic pollution threatens biodiversity and marine life, food safety, human health and coastal tourism. By 2050, the World Economic Forum believes our oceans will contain more plastic than fish. South Africa is one of the world’s worst offenders when it comes to releasing plastic waste into the sea. It’s also the 14th largest emitter of CO2 globally. There’s a huge job to be done to turn the situation around. And it starts with awareness.
You can visit The Museum of Plastic 2121 through the Curatours app which is available for Oculus Quest VR headsets and Windows PCs.
Weekend Argus