Plastic-free Biennale (with Kim Williams)
Plastic in the House - a music video by the Plastic Highlighters, featured in Plastic-free Biennale
Visit the Plastic-free Biennale blog.
About the project:
Plastic-free Biennale is a project by Kim Williams and Lucas Ihlein for NIRIN, the 2020 Biennale of Sydney.In 2019, we (Kim Williams and Lucas Ihlein) were invited to take part in NIRIN. Artistic director Brook Andrew commissioned us to create a project focused on plastic. Andrew’s vision involved artists involved at every level of the festival - from publication design, to food, education, and even transport infrastructure - and with our project, an intervention into the Biennale’s environmental impact.
Our project emerged slowly, over a few years, beginning well before the start of the public exhibition, and continuing throughout the live time of the festival (and beyond). One of the main aspects of the project was a “consultancy” with the Biennale organisation. In the spirit of Barbara Stevini and John Latham’s “Artist Placement Group” from the 1970s, the model of artists-as-consultants pushed us into thinking of our role beyond the standard production of content for an exhibition. Rather, we took on the challenge of trying to re-design what a biennale (and what this biennale) could be, both behind the scenes and in the public eye.
Project Components:
- Exhibition at Cockatoo Island (March-Sept 2020)
- Project blog - telling the story about our work.
- Song and Music Video "Plastic in the House" with kids group, The Plastic Highlighters. Listen/watch here.
- Plastic-free Manifesto. Read about the development of many manifesti, here.
- Engagement with the Biennale of Sydney Staff.
- Collaborations. In this project, we've worked with other artists and scientists, including microplastic researcher Nuwanthi Kanchana, performance artists Juundaal Strang-Yettica, Amber Jones, and Helen Ramoutsaki.
MC Nannarchy's Plastic Wrap: 2020 Biennale of Sydney
COVID-19 Lockdown Version
More info on Plastic-free Biennale:
Lucas Ihlein and Kim Williams, "Manifesti for a Plastic-free Biennale", in Axon: Creative Explorations, Volume 10, Number 2, December 2020, special edition on the theme of "MANIFESTOS, DIATRIBES AND CREATIVE INTERVENTIONS".The Sisters of Perpetual Plastix (Juundaal Strang-Yettica and Amber Jones) joined the project as emerging artist collaborators. Check out their website here.
Two versions of the Manifesto are included in the Nirin Ngaay Reader created by Trent Walter and Stuart Geddes.
Kim Williams and Lucas Ihlein, "Imagining the Impossible", Art Asia Pacific, Issue 120, Sept-Oct 2020.
Cicada Innovations, "New and Sustainable Materials Expo", October 2021, discussion of Plastic-free Biennale at about 16 minutes by the Biennale of Sydney CEO Barbara Moore.
Michaela Bear, "NIRIN The 22nd Biennale of Sydney", review at Biennale Foundation mentioning Plastic-free Biennale.
Microplastics Citizen Science Field Trip - a short video featuring Nuwanthi Kanchana, produced for Plastic-free Biennale by Wayward Films
Plastic-free Biennale - 2021 - the book - read or download various versions of it here.