Art for Awareness: How One Artist Used 10,000 Plastic Bottles And Mermaids to Bring Awareness to Pollution
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Brett Loewenstern
Most of us barely know the facts about ocean pollution and the role that plastic bottle production plays in the situation. Part of that reason could possibly be because most people do not have the attention span to sit through an hour long informative film. However, LA based photographer Benjamin Von Wong decided to figure out how to combine both awareness and intriguing entertainment all together to bring out a powerful message. What was the core theme of his project? Mermaids. Yes, that's right. Mermaids.
Von Wong has often described himself as "naive" when it would come to the subjects of his artwork, but this time around he found himself more passionate about this specific topic. After finding out that there will be more plastic bottles in the sea than fish by 2050, that was more than enough cause to bring Benjamin to begin his project.
"Alone I was just a photographer- but thanks to the help of amazing individuals we transformed a lifeless pile of used garbage into a message: #Mermaidshateplastic"
Benjamin has been so enthusiastic about spreading his message, that he is even offering awards to those who take part in pledging to not use plastic again. The whole concept of the mermaids was to bring something more interesting to awareness than once again, informercials.