Poster used in the banner – Finland, University of Lapland: Meri Aisala
An international exhibition of posters designed by students to challenge the escalating plastic pollution of our oceans makes its UK debut at the Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside, Ayrshire, when it opens on Saturday 11 September.
The Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution touring exhibition, which premiered at the inaugural UN World Oceans Day Conference at the United Nations, New York, in June 2017, is brought to the Scottish Maritime Museum by Journeys in Design Curator John Ennis.
The exhibition is the result of an international eco-poster design collaboration engaging 17 – 25 year old design students from 35 academies and universities representing all five continents.
Under the directorship of Professor Helmut Langer, international communication designer and lecturer in Germany and past President of the International Council of Design, over 50 professorial colleagues collaborated with over 1,000 students, either in workshops or as semester work.
Each participating institution contributed up to ten best posters creating a collection of
nearly 350 posters. This carefully curated exhibition picks a striking and poignant selection of these posters.
Some researchers have predicted that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the world’s oceans than fish. The exhibition, which runs at the Scottish Maritime Museum until Tuesday 7 December, gives a visual representation to the voice of youth across the world.
Tackling issues of coastal and beach environmental pollution; fish and seabirds consuming plastic; micro-plastics from synthetic clothes polluting the sea; plastics in fish we eat, the posters are a call to preserve the planet we live on, including our waterways and oceans.
The Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution exhibition will open on Saturday 11 September with a talk by climate change expert Dr Jamie Toney, Director and a founder of The Centre for Sustainable Solutions at the University of Glasgow. Dr Toney will explore how climate change is impacting the oceans.
Announcing the Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution exhibition, Nicola Scott, Exhibition and Events Officer at the Scottish Maritime Museum, says:
These vibrant, compelling posters challenge us to think about the escalating issue of plastic pollution in our waters and demand that we all act now. We’re delighted to host the exhibition which we hope will stir debate and help everyone consider how they can play their own role in helping stem the tide of plastic pollution in our precious oceans, seas and rivers.”
Journeys in Design Curator Dr John Ennis adds:
It is a great honour to collaborate with Professor Langer on Ocean Posters. To paraphrase another design pioneer, this international exhibition offers the chance to ‘think global and act local’ with its timely display in Scotland, coincident with COP26. These design students offer a vital and dynamic message with their work.”
Professor Helmut Langer concludes:
These outstanding posters should contribute to raising global awareness about the gigantic problem of oceanic global plastic pollution, to influence a responsible use of plastic, and to encourage sustainable thinking and behaviour.”
Students participating in the Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution collaboration came from countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay, USA and Venezuela.
Ocean Posters has been exhibited in Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, Peru, Slovakia and the USA. Following the UK debut at the Scottish Maritime Museum, the exhibition will continue to tour in UK and Ireland as Covid restrictions allow.
The Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution exhibition, which opens alongside the Museum’s second new exhibition, Glass Ships in Bottles, is also part of the Scottish Climate Fringe Week.
The Climate Fringe Week (18-26 September) aims to raise awareness of the need to move towards a greener, fairer, low carbon society and highlights the need for urgent action as we look towards COP26, the United Nations climate talks in Glasgow this November.
Both Ocean Posters Against Plastic Pollution and Glass Ships in Bottles exhibitions are included in Museum admission.
Up to three children go FREE with each Adult Admission.
For more information, or to book a visit: www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org
Issued on behalf of the Scottish Maritime Museum by
Joanna Harrison, Mobile: 07884 187404
