OCEAN TRASH ART A SITE SPECIFIC INSTALLATION

Ocean Trash Art is an environmental and artistic project, developed as part of the O Mar Não Tem Limites artistic circuit in Espinho. This intervention combines community engagement, beach clean-ups, and participatory art workshops, transforming marine waste into visually striking public sculptures.

With the support of students from local schools, Isa Magalhães will collect beach litter from Espinho, including plastic, nylon, ropes, nets, bottles, and other discarded objects. These materials will be transformed into sculptures using fishing nets, creating a rich interplay of colors, shapes, and textures.

The resulting works resemble a textile-like mantle that mold and adapt to the objects over which it is placed. Visually, it evokes coral reefs, mollusks, and rocky seabeds, inviting viewers to reflect on the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems. Once completed, the sculpture will be displayed at the Blue Centre of the city.

The project aims to promote awareness and reflection on marine pollution and its negative effects on coral ecosystems, including the loss of reef complexity and reduction of local biodiversity. By bringing the sea into the urban environment, Ocean Trash Art reminds all citizens that marine conservation is a shared responsibility.

To create these sculptures, the following materials will be used:

• Recycled beach waste: plastic (bottles, containers, caps), nylon, ropes, nets, and other discarded objects

• Exterior paint

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