Vanishing Point is an arts/science collaboration to raise awareness about the issues surrounding plastics pollution in the oceans and its ecological, biological and social impact. 

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Vanishing Point’s first exhibition was held in 2015 at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. The goal of the project was to raise awareness in the community about the impact of our daily use of plastics through art and science communication in a complementary and engaging manner.

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The 2017 & 2019 exhibitions, at IMAS & Maker's Space Burnie, expanded on the 2015 project by embracing the theme of Unseen. From micro-beads in personal care products, microfibres in synthetic clothing, and fragments derived from the breakdown of larger debris, micro-plastics are increasingly invading our marine systems and food chains.

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"From walking along coastlines and collecting bags of big bright ocean debris for the 2015 Vanishing Point exhibition and thinking about their effect on fish and sea mammals, my focus has now been narrowed down to particles of plastic we often can't see without the use of a microscope. The dichotomy between the size of the micro plastics and the harm they do is startling.

 

I learning how these infinitesimally small particles have an enormous effect; not just on marine life; not just by working their way up the food chain to humans and causing massive health issues; but also by endangering the oceans themselves. For if the oceans become sick, then so do we all.

 

My work for VPII & III focussed on the chemical interactions of the phthalates (plastic additives) with the ocean. The repeated hexagonal shapes represent the chemical symbol for phthalates, the hormone inhibitors.

 

The works have been made entirely from ocean debris, plastic rubbish & fishing line already in the waste chain, glass beads and recycled sterling silver."