Local studio Bolsón has created “Banana Blue,” an innovative installation in Mexico City, showcasing the repurposing of low-density plastic used in banana production. The installation, featured at Mooni, an art gallery and boutique shop, is from blue plastic utilized to protect banana crops. The plastic was sourced from a Jalisco plantation owned by the family of Bolsón’s founder, Noberto Miranda, along with local urban waste. The project aims to reassign value to discarded materials and establish a manual approach to working with plastic.
Creation Process and Material Transformation
For “Banana Blue,” Noberto Miranda gathered low-density blue plastic used in banana plantations and employed a heat gun and body pressure to transform the material into cladding for Mooni. Additionally, The plastic upholstery was used for the facade cladding and parts of the interior of the shop. The installation represents a manual relationship with plastic, emphasizing the reuse of materials that are typically discarded.
Dialogue Between Nature, Art, and Sustainability
“Banana Blue” serves as a dialogue between nature, art, and sustainability, seeking to shift perceptions around plastic as a purely industrial material. The project transforms discarded material into both art and utilitarian objects. Thus, showcasing the aesthetic potential of repurposed plastic in fine art environments.
Showcasing Flexibility and Aesthetic Potential
In addition to the cladding material, the installation features small stools made from compressed plastic developed by Noberto Miranda. These stools aim to highlight the material’s flexibility, being simultaneously “hard and soft.” The presentation of these objects in fine art settings aims to challenge the perception of plastic as an alien and industrial material.
Community Connection and Sustainable Practices
Beyond the artistic installation, the project aims to connect materials with the communities that use them, particularly the workers on the banana plantation in Jalisco. Moreover, The initiative addresses the issue of waste management and encourages a more sustainable approach to handling discarded materials.
Shifting Perceptions and Sustainability Awareness
Noberto Miranda, who has been working with plastic for years, hopes that showcasing the aesthetic potential of repurposed plastic in art environments will contribute to shifting perceptions around plastic. The project emphasizes the importance of taking care of and repurposing discarded materials. Therefore, promoting a more sustainable and conscious approach to material use and waste management. Bolsón
Exhibition and Sustainability Message
The “Banana Blue” installation is on display at Mooni as part of Mexico City Art Week, serving as both an artistic expression and a message about sustainability. By repurposing plastic and showcasing its potential in an art context, the project encourages a reevaluation of material. It also promotes sustainable practices.
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