Marina DeBris: art made from waste

Marina DeBris describes her project and her artistic mission:

I have been picking up trash along beaches and creeks for over 20 years. My mission began when I moved from Bondi Beach, Australia to LA’s Westside. In the beginning I would just pick up stacks of Styrofoam cups and bring them to the local 7-11, but I soon realized that this wasn’t really attacking the root problem. I needed a creative way to draw attention to it. The whole idea of making beach detritus into art started from the realization that the waste we create always comes back to haunt us.

With this work, I am hoping to dramatize in a playful way some of the problems our waste creates. I use humor to startle viewers into taking a closer look at things we usually ignore. The goal is to encourage people to rethink their use of disposables and, ultimately, reduce waste. I like to provoke viewers into thinking about the consequences of our habits, and how we can change them. My second goal is to get rid of all the garbage in my garage – in a responsible way, of course!