New York City is famously a center for culture and creativity in the U.S. But even in a city that’s filled with so much to see and do, one art exhibit is standing out among the crowd. Artist Dionnys Matos is using art to draw attention to sustainability and why it matters so much, what it means for the Earth and how it can be used as an influence to create beautiful things.

Matos recycles and reuses items like foam bowls, plastic cups, bubble wrap and packaging materials in his art. His work focuses on what single-use objects really mean and the impact they have.

One work, titled “Wave”, is a four-panel mural created with bubble wrap that was injected with acrylic. According to Matos, this work showcases how our oceans are being overtaken by plastic. In this piece, the sea is getting its revenge.

The still-life nature of “The Nature of Things” invites viewers to pause and draw awareness to their surroundings, the objects they interact with daily and how these objects impact the surroundings in the long-term. “Do we destroy our environment, or do we adapt? Are we capable of reusing that which is at the service of our comfort?” the project statement asks.

The exhibit, titled Take a Minute: A Show of Resilience, is on display at the Thomas Nickles Project gallery at 47 Orchard Street in New York City. This gallery focuses exclusively on contemporary Cuban art. The pieces will be on display until April 18, and more information about the exhibit is available online.

“I link these works with the environment in favor of an ecological conscience, Adopting dynamics inspired by the conservation of nature,” the artist said of the exhibit. “I work with recycled art with disposable materials that are not biodegradable; In these works I use bubble wrap giving it a utilitarian purpose, with the main objective of creating awareness of the dangers that threaten the planet and promote its conservation, enhance communication and citizen participation in the defense of nature and encourage political commitment in pursuit of this.”

Matos trained at the Professional Academy of Plastic Arts and lives in Bogotá, Colombia. He continues to work on projects that will promote recycling and raise awareness of environmental issues.

Matos joins many artists who are calling attention to the environmental issues — and possible solutions — of our world. Throughout history, artists have always captured the world as they see it, freezing a moment in time for successive generations to enjoy … and ponder.

Artist draws attention to the single-use plastic crisis [Inhabitat]

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