A Re-evaluation of Plastic

I began the project by collecting disposable plastic utensils from the street and exploring plastic as a significant material in the Anthropocene era, where synthetic materials have become integrated into both Nature and culture. The great durability, strength, and infinite potential of plastic stand in stark contrast to the widespread single-use attitude towards it, without due consideration of its material properties. In this project, I have incorporated 20th-century aesthetics and design values into the creation of a Monoblock table, emphasizing the injection molding process by exposing its reinforcing ribs — a type of Plastic Brutalism. The visual language employed here aims to restore to plastic the dignity and cultural standing that it has long been denied. The intention of this project is not to find a new way to recycle plastic, but rather to articulate its inherent value.

Advisor: Nati Shamia Opher