While all of us are confounded about the growing heaps of plastic, a Delhi-based artist has come up with a solution, which is creating artwork out of it! A look at Manveer Singh’s artworks goes to show how waste can be converted to worth.

Singh has till date used 250 kg of plastic in the last three years. According to news agency ANI, he started this innovative eco-friend work in April 2018.

An art teacher by profession, Singh has so far sold three of his works. Two were sold in Abu Dhabi while one in Germany.

Talking to the agency, Singh informed: "I have completed 11 artworks made out of plastic and I am working on my 12th piece."

Earlier Singh did normal paintings but then the desire to help out in conservation of environment egged him to start this new method of making his creatives.

Shifting to using plastic

Recalling this shift Singh told ANI: "In the beginning, I used to do landscape paintings and live paintings. But it wasn't enough for me. I used to think that I too have to do something for nature. I didn't want to just take nature as an inspiration. Earlier, through my paintings, nature didn't get anything and it was merely a subject.”

As an observant person, Singh found that everywhere there was nothing but plastic strewn around. It had even polluted the rivers. “All I saw around me was plastic. So, I decided to use plastic as colour and make people aware of our increasing dependence on plastic and its harmful effects on the environment."

Describing plastic as the number one pollutant, Singh said, it is the duty of each citizen to bear the responsibility of removing plastic from the ecology as it was humankind only which was using it. “I noticed that multilayer plastic cannot be segregated and people are unable to recycle it. So, I started using it as colour in my artwork."

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Obtaining plastic for art

The procuring of plastic by Singh for his art is an interesting tale. Elaborating, he said: “In the beginning, I thought that I will use the plastic which I am consuming. So, I washed it and started making it but it wasn't enough. So, I thought of asking people living in my building and nearby areas. Soon, it also got used up. Then, I spoke to rag pickers and asked for the same, but they refused to give it as they won't be able to earn from it because this plastic is lightweight and that isn't the reason they don't collect it and it is not segregated."

Yet this running around for plastic too had a positive effect. “It was good that they refused to give me plastic as the main issue would've been unresolved. No change will come to people who are using this and throwing it. After ragpickers refused to give plastic to me, I started collecting it door to door. Because of this, I used to get clean polythene and people were getting aware."

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Going further to get hold of plastic, he approached schools to collect it.

The artworks made by Singh with plastic have got him appreciation. These have been shown at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center in January 2020, Manarat Al Saadiyat Cultural Center, Abu Dhabi in February 2020 and many other places