#Botafogo Beach Sculptures

[abigail-nicole]

More info:

These fish sculptures made from plastic bottles were apparently an officially-sanctioned part of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that took place in Brazil [in 2012]. The artist who designed the installation remains somewhat of an internet mystery. While most of the reaction has been very positive…

… there was some dissenting opinion about the worthiness of this project. The breakdown of the glue-gunned bottle sculptures that occurred later in the week was part of a much harsher, contrasting critique by Kari Koch of the Portland Occupier:

“This was a demonstration of how clever marketing and a pretty face can create lovely images that briefly cover the destruction of industry, but ultimately falls apart and leaves trash everywhere.

“The water bottles are falling all over the beach and the bay at Botafogo Beach is wretched with pollutants and sewage.

“The Green Economy wants us to think that our world can be preserved and sustained by continuing to create giant artifacts, plastic constructions, and endless growth. The truth is that we cannot continue to have endless growth. We cannot sustain our world and our lives by producing more and allowing corporate interests to buy off their pollution by owning a forest or by creating public art.

“Instead of building fish, corporations need to clean up their messes, leave the public areas to the people who know how to protect them, and ultimately those corporations (and the plastic bottles they create) need to be dismantled.

“The same system that created this mess cannot possibly understand how to build an alternative that sustains our world, our communities, and our lives.

“This fish of Botafogo will soon be nothing more than plastic particles in trash bags…”

Corporate Fish In A Wretched Bay — Report From Rio+20

Since the artist who created the sculptures is not known, it’s difficult to confirm whether Koch is correct in implying corporate sponsorship.

But there was another high-profile artwork at Rio+20 that also used “recycled” bottles which was sponsored in part by Coca-Cola…

Vik Muniz’s Landscape Project for Rio+20 was “partially underwritten by corporate sponsors including Coca Cola and Rio-based newspaper O Globo.”

Glowing Giant Fish Made of Discarded Plastic Bottles, Playa de Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

[thepricehut]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles.

[jadiagaurang]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles.

[boudhabar]

Giant fish sculptures created from discarded plastic bottles on Botafogo beach in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil.

[n10259660-blog]

Water bottle Fish sculpture

During the week 10 pitch test people were questioning the safety and viability of the water bottle waves. They did not understand how the sculpture would, look and how it would hold up. Here is a sculpture that is very similar to ours in the sense that it is reminding viewers about sustainability and is made of the same materials as ours. In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on Botafogo beach a large outdoor sculpture of 3 fishes made of discarded water bottles and lit from the inside out with coloured lights was created for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development. This sculpture was made for the Rio+20 Conference where NGOs, private sectors, world leaders, government personnel and other groups came together to discuss how protect the environment on our crowded planet and reduce poverty, advance social equity. There is a slogan beside the sculpture reading “recycle your attitude” This was made in the aim to remind viewers to recycle and look after our plant. The sculpture glistens in the sun during the day as it refracts the sunlight and lights up with blue and red LED lights at night. The light blue tint of the water bottles together gives the sculpture colour which we want in our design as well. As stated it will glimmer in the sun this is similar to ours as we use the arch to create refracted light through the water bottles reflecting onto the netted rope installation below which simulates the sensation of being underwater as the light refracts and glimmers. 

(Victor R. Caivano, AP, Ueslei Marcelino, Reuters, 2012) 

[kevinsolaman]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles.

[qamopro]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles. -

[jessiram]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles.

[christrajatest]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles. -

[twisted-waves]

Giant fish made out of recycled plastic

As part of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) an enormous outdoor installation of fish was constructed using discarded plastic bottles on Botafogo beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sculptures are illuminated from the inside at night creating a pretty spectacular light show.

[jeffbuffett-blog]

An art installation on Botafogo Beach in Rio de Janeiro shows giant fish sculptures made from discarded plastic bottles. -