By John Owoo
Accra – Ghana
As part of the activities marking World Environment Day, an evocative exhibition brings together a group of artists who confront the growing crisis of environmental degradation through a bold reimagining of waste.
Using plastic debris, discarded electronic parts, nets, wood, and worn clothes as their medium, the participating artists do not merely recycle materials—they reclaim narratives, awaken conscience, and advocate for urgent ecological justice.
Currently ongoing at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra, the exhibition features works by Dela Anya, Ananse Nipadua, Andrea Walter Ghia, and Beatrice Bee Arthur. The exhibition space buzzes with contradiction: beauty crafted from refuse, form emerging from formlessness.
Curated by fashion designer and eco-feminist Arthur (who is also participating as an artist), the powerful juxtaposition between the elegance of composition and the often unsightly materials used—candy wrappers, circuit boards, single-use plastics, flipflops, and synthetic textiles—cannot be missed.
Titled “Echoes of the Landfill,” these objects, often relegated to gutters, storm drains, landfills, rivers, and oceans, have found new life in sculptural forms, immersive installations, and assemblages that draw attention to humanity’s impact on the planet.
Some artists view waste as a metaphor. Torn clothing, stitched into patchwork canvases and wrapped around large sculptures, speaks to the frayed fabric of our environment, hinting at how consumption has outpaced care.
Others adopt a more literal approach, building towers of e-waste that appear to teeter under the burden of technological excess. These pieces engage the viewer not only visually but also ethically, prompting us to confront what we discard and why.
The curatorial narrative effectively connects individual artworks to global environmental concerns, including issues such as climate change, pollution, overconsumption, and the fast fashion industry.
However, it also highlights these issues, showcasing how communities in the Global South, often the final destination for the world’s waste, are developing innovative artistic strategies to raise awareness, protest exploitation, and propose alternative futures.
What emerges is not a lecture, but rather a call — urgent yet hopeful. By transforming waste into a statement, the artists refuse to view discarded materials as an end. Instead, they propose a cycle of transformation in which creativity serves as both a means of resistance and a means of restoration.
This exhibition highlights how art can act as a powerful ally in environmental activism. As we observe World Environment Day, it reminds us that sustainability encompasses not just policy and practice. Still, it’s also a matter of perception, and that viewing waste in a new light may be the first step toward treating our world more wisely.
The exhibition ends on Saturday, June 5, 2025.
