The Crazy Awesomeness of Skeleton Sea

So in my previous post (Playing with Trash) I said I was going to share some of Skeleton Sea's art with you. They had several statues/creations (I don't quite know what to call them!) on display at the entrance to the Volvo Ocean Race Village here in Alicante (plus two more in the VIP area which I didn't get to see). It's amazing at how creative these three guys are, how they can look at all this trash, and find a way to turn it into an art project! It's all a part of their passion for the ocean (all three are surfers), and you can hear it in their voices when you talk with them about previous projects and the crazy things they've found on beaches around the world... Anyhow, without further ado, I give you the Art of Skeleton Sea! (the name of each is linked to their website, where you can find more info on each project, the texts come from the panels accompanying each piece)

 

MSAMBWENI ARK.

by João Parrinha, Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of plastic beach sandals and mixed media (size 170x120x120 cm)

"The Msambweni Ark is rising in the sky, saving the last African wildlife from the great pollution on earth and in the water."

HIPPOCAMP. 

by Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of driftwood. (200 cm)

"Once we proudly pulled Poseidon's chariot, then humans ate us due to our curativeness."

Interesting fact: Hippocamp was originally supposed to be the head for this next piece, but the proportions weren't right and they decided Cold Blooded would be more powerful if left headless...

 

COLD BLOODED.

by Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of driftwood (350x350x130 cm)

"An unreachable mountain, an unsurfable wave, I'm the power of the impossible."

ABYSS.

by João Parrinha

Made of beach trash, steel, wire (250x100x100 cm)

"Abyss is João's vision of the fish of the future, made of beach trash instead of flesh and bones, and surviving by eating rubbish rather than other fish - all of whom have been wiped out as a result of our own selfish existence. Natural evolution suggests this dark scenario isn't entirely improbable, and it's down to us as the earth's inhabitants to change our destructive way of life to ensure we don't end up going down that catastrophic road."

 

ROXY MERMAID.

by Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of mixed beach trash, mainly discarded plastic beach sandals (170x120x120 cm)

"Roxy Mermaid was created over the course of several days during the world-famous Roxy Pro surf contest in Biarritz, France. Primarily constructed using discarded beach sandals and other bits of miscellaneous beach trash, the life size Roxy mermaid sculpture rose from the rocks overlooking the waves on the Cote de Basque, attracting the attention of all who caught sight of her, each person mesmerized by her striking outer beauty. The fact Roxy Mermaid was created using pollution recovered from our oceans conveyed an important message about the dark and ugly reality of our impact on the environment." 

FLIP FLOP FISH.

by Luis de Dios, Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of flip flops, steel (250x200 cm)

"After the big Flipflop search on Fuenteventura coastline and with a lot of help from friends and fellow surfers, we finally managed to gather some 250 single flipflops that had been washed onto the shore. Luis and Xandi built the fish in a non-stop 24-hour effort, right on the beach of Praia Esquinzo. For the film project, they carried the fish into the water and let him swim.. a small gesture to the world."

Speaking of the film project, here it is! I particularly enjoy seeing the fish come together at high speed about halfway through it ;o)

and last, but not least...

ALBATROSS EXHIBITIONIST.

by João Parrinha, Xandi Kreuzeder

Made of beach trash, steel, wire (155x195x60 cm)

"The Albatross Exhibitionist was constructed in Msambweni on Kenya’s South Coast. This majestic, plasticized Albatross highlights the dangers posed to seabirds by discarded plastics found in our oceans and on our beaches. Tragically, many seabirds are prone to mistaking plastics for food, and often suffer a slow and agonizing death after consuming everything from PET bottle caps, plastic bags and sandal parts to lighters, biro pens and razors."

found in an albatross's stomach

The Albatross Exhibitionist is the show piece for the "Keep The Oceans Clean" programme Skeleton Sea has organised with the Volvo Ocean Race. It will travel around the world with them and be housed in a Dome where a very powerful video about the dangers of trash to the Albatrosses on Midway Island will be shown. Lucky you, I've got the film right here! ;o)

I hope you enjoyed the Art of Skeleton Sea. It's fascinating what can be done with marine debris with a good imagination and the will to make a difference! Please remember to KEEP THE OCEANS CLEAN!!!