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"Out to Sea? The Plastic Garbage Project", the latest thematic exhibition at the Hong Kong Science Museum, will be held from tomorrow (November 27) until February 17 next year, showcasing works of art using plastic waste to explore how plastic waste is threatening the whole marine ecosystem.
Speaking at the opening ceremony today (November 26), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, said the exhibition aims to arouse public awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans. By combining elements of science and art, this exhibition shows an ecological catastrophe with strong visual impact. The display's centrepiece, comprising a large volume of plastic debris collected from the seas around the world, will capture the attention of visitors. In addition to this installation, there are interactive exhibits and audio-visual programmes to introduce the science behind plastic products and the threats presented to the Earth.
Ms Li also said that it only takes small and simple changes in daily life to use plastic in a more environmentally conscious way. By reducing waste, reusing and recycling consumer goods and reflecting consumption behaviour, people can get on the right track towards a sustainable environment.
Since the start of the 20th century, plastic has been widely used in our everyday lives. However, it is hardly degraded naturally and as such causes tremendous problems for landfill sites. When plastic rubbish gets into the oceans, it ends up forming sea garbage gyres which threaten the marine ecosystem to a large extent.
Symbolising the ecological catastrophe, the highlight exhibit "A Nightmare at Sea" is an installation consisting of plastic flotsam collected from beach cleaning operations at the North Sea, Hawaii, the Baltic Sea and elsewhere, allowing visitors to understand more about the origins, life cycle and more of plastic products. The exhibition also features "Plastic in the Sea", which shows the deadly impact of plastic on the seas, animals and human beings, while "Plastic in Everyday Life" introduces the chemical composition, classification and recycling processes of different plastic products and explores ways of minimising the disposal of plastic items.
To enhance students' environmental awareness of marine pollution in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Science Museum invited students from Project WeCan to take part in beach clean-up activities and make artworks using plastic garbage for display in the exhibition.
Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Ambassador of Switzerland to the People's Republic of China, Mr Jean-Jacques de Dardel; the Consul-General of Switzerland to Hong Kong and Macau, Mr Reto Renggli; the Director of the Museum für Gestaltung Zurich, Mr Christian Brändle; the Patron of Project WeCan, Mr Douglas Woo; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of United Overseas Bank Hong Kong, Mrs Christine Ip; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Science Museum, Ms Karen Sit.
Jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, the exhibition is organised by the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Museum für Gestaltung Zurich, and Connecting Spaces Hong Kong - Zurich of the Zurich University of the Arts. The exhibition has been created by the Museum für Gestaltung Zurich, and the sponsor is the Drosos Foundation. The exhibition partners are Project WeCan and UOB Art Academy, and the supporting organisations include the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, the Ocean Recovery Alliance and the Inter-departmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines.
For more exhibition details, please visit the Hong Kong Science Museum's website at hk.science.museum/en_US/web/scm/se/se.html or call 2732 3232 for enquiries.
Under the "Appreciate Hong Kong" Campaign, all museums of the LCSD will offer free admission for the entire month of January 2016 in order to encourage more visits to museums, where experiences of creativity, enjoyment and inspiration await.
Ends/Thursday, November 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:43
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