Net/amorphoses

My work explores our relationship with domestic detritus. This particular exhibition focuses on nets that we get from our fruit and veg. These plastics are incredibly hard to recycle and I have noticed on some labels that state “turn our packaging into something new”. So here I am turning the packaging into something new.

It took me around a year of passively collecting netting from my own shopping habits, friends and work colleagues and then four months to get the bulk of the netting from the local community of Knaresborough to be able to create these wall hangings and I still have a massive bag full, I had to stop collecting as I don’t have much space to store them. But even using these nets in my art I am constantly reminded how bad these are for the environment, as once you open the net, via cutting or ripping, they start to unravel and due to the weave small particles of plastic come off. Which makes me conflicted in using these in my work as I feel it would be safer to just put them in the bin.

Retailers have a responsibility to research and come up with a more sustainable solution to these nets, especially as I have found it has become harder to purchase loose fruit and veg in supermarkets. But even when I go to the local market and fruit and veg store where they sell loose fruit and vegetables, they still have a lot of their produce delivered in big plastic net bags and they have no option but to throw the bags away.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the following for helping me in this mammoth project

My family and friends, especially my grandma for letting me use her garage.
Sherry Doyal - Tanacetum
My colleagues - Seasalt in Harrogate
Number Thirteen Café - Knaresborough
HA Garment printing - Knaresborough
Prudames Greengrocers - Knaresborough
Resurrected bites - Gracious street church in Harrogate
Harrogate College, especially Annabel Smith, Caroline Miekina and Matt Dalby.
John Compost Cossham - York