Artist Statement
After learning about how our environment is extremely affected by pollution, I wanted to create work for this project that has a powerful message. My inspiration is how plastic affects human lives. In my photo, I surround the model with plastic bottles to show that she is suffocating in plastic. I specifically chose plastic bottles because they are the third most commonly found plastic items in the environment. We use them every day—each year, 22 billion water bottles are thrown away and most of it goes into our oceans. In Asia, the Yangtze River is the longest and one of the world’s most ecologically important rivers. However, it is also the biggest carrier of plastic pollution to the ocean. Plastic is overpowering our planet and affects us negatively. My hope is that from this photo, the viewers will be inspired to make the small changes needed to make a difference.
Place a bid on Isabella Laureano’s print in the online auction here.