The shape of our seas is changing; our shores are now much more than where land meets sea. The ocean is littered with great floating islands of plastic. Islands of discarded human made plastics, brought together by ocean currents. The majority of plastic debris in the sea which are not returned to shorelines ultimately find their way into one of the great swirling gyres, the largest of which is the great North Pacific garbage patch. Most of these islands exist in international waters, which makes clean up no one nation’s responsibility.

Reflecting upon on our relationship with the sea and our relationship with our pacific neighbours - SEASHAPE invited contemporary jewellery artists to make works using marine debris and discarded plastics.

Curated by Sarah Heyward, established contemporary jewellery and object artists. Laila Costa; Melinda Young; Pennie Jagiello; Claire Brooks; Laura Eyles and Bridget Kennedy will work with discarded plastics and marine debris but are also invited to work with non-plastic materials in response to the shape of our seas.

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Claire Brooks, Plastic Scoup Blue Brooch, 2017, silver, resin, marine debris, 10 x 10cm. Image courtesy the artist