Ocean Trash Turned Into Art

Lead artist Angela Haseltine

 Pozzi assembles a 

display of percussive fish. 

Photo by Marianne Hale

• Special exhibition Washed Ashore makes a splash at the San Francisco Zoo 

Washed Ashore—a beautiful yet disturbing art exhibition of giant sea life sculptures made from ocean garbage—is coming to the San Francisco Zoo on Memorial Day Weekend and will be on exhibit in the Pachyderm Building until September 23. A project of The Artula Institute for Arts & Environmental Education, Washed Ashore is a collection of spectacular, giant sea life sculptures made with debris that has “washed ashore.” This project creates awareness about marine trash and plastic pollution and gives new meaning to the common man-made items we toss in the garbage every day.

Under the leadership of Angela Haseltine Pozzi, community members of all ages have worked together to clean up our beaches and process the debris into materials used to construct giant sculptures of the sea life that is most affected by plastic pollution. These amazing works of art have been created from thousands of pounds of debris removed from local beaches. A sea lion pup, a whale bones rib cage, and an ocean gyre—all made from ocean and beach garbage—are a few of the gigantic sculptures that will be on display throughout the summer.

This 10-foot long instrumental

 eel is brand-new to the exhibit. 

Photo by Marianne Hale

“We’re thrilled that the Zoo is bringing this important art and educational message about ocean pollution to a wide audience in the Bay Area,” said Angela Haseltine Pozzi, lead artist and Executive Director of the Oregon-based organization. As part of this temporary exhibition, the Zoo will also exclusively host the premiere of “Buoy, Beat ‘n Bop,” a unique presentation of musical sculptures all made from ocean debris collected from Pacific beaches. This all-new addition to the exhibit will feature a 10-foot long Instrumental eel, musical seaweed, a four-foot tall swaying anemone chime, a colony of 12 sea jelly bells, and a Styrofoam reef drum set, along with a 14-foot wide musical sea star. This interactive element is fun for all ages, but is particularly effective for connecting younger audiences with the reality of garbage in our oceans.

In the last three years Washed Ashore has collected over 11 tons of debris from Pacific beaches and created a traveling exhibit of over 30 sculptures and education programs that continues to tour the United States. “The message of Washed Ashore has special meaning to the Zoo,” said San Francisco Zoo Vice President of Education and Conservation Joe Fitting. “It combines our conservation-driven mission with our unique location right on the Pacific Ocean, and it presents a compelling way for us to teach Zoo visitors of all ages about the environmental dangers facing our planet from pollution in our oceans and waterways.”

Other info:
SFZS Member preview: May 24, 9:00 – 10:00 am
Public viewing begins: May 24, 10:00 am
Web site: http://www.sfzoo.org/announcements/washed-ashore

The artist with a swaying anemone chime. 

Photo by May Woon

Also at the Zoo Memorial Day weekend: Riveropolis! This fantastic festival of water-play fun returns to the Zoo as the perfect complement to Washed Ashore. Kids of all ages are invited to play and work with an amazing portable river—a great way to learn the importance of our waterways. Riveropolis will be located near Lion Fountain from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.