Odisha artist creates 15-foot turtle statue to raises awareness on plastic waste menace

Manveer Singh, an Odisha-based visual artist, has constructed a 15-foot Olive Ridley sea turtle sculpture out of plastic at Puri beach to raise awareness about the negative impacts of plastic waste on the environment, particularly the sea and aquatic life.

'Plasticwalla' is another nickname for Manveer. He claims that his art is influenced by and for the environment. He won the "METIS Initiative on Plastics and the Indo-Pacific Ocean 2021," cooperation between Utsha Foundation and AFD, and is creating this artwork as part of it.

Manveer's application was chosen from a pool of 26 applicants from all around India. In September, his initiative "From Plastic to Art" was chosen. Manveer gathered plastics for this artwork by placing 40 'habit changer' boxes throughout the city of Bhubaneswar. He also engages with the public to raise awareness about plastic pollution and has held workshops in a variety of schools and universities throughout the city.

Manveer explained to ANI why he chose Olive Ridley as the subject of his artwork. He said, "I choose Olive Ridley because mass nesting of these is very common in Odisha. All species on this planet are affected by plastic, including Olive Ridley. They often eat plastic after mistaking it for Jellyfish. Mass nesting is really huge, but unfortunately, very few of these turtles survive. I want to bring their crisis before the people because they play a big role in maintaining the life cycle on this planet. Everyday-use plastic has been used for this artwork," he noted.

Artist spreads awareness on the menace of plastic waste

This 15-foot artwork was created by 250 turtles, according to Manveer. Manveer has assisted in the upcycling/reuse of about 350 kg of plastic in India to date. He has created art things using weaving techniques with coloured polymers to produce stunning objects of all forms and sizes. Given the beach's popularity as a tourist destination, he chose Puri beach as the location for his artwork. "People support me," he remarked when asked about his interactions with the public and their support. " People should be aware of the plastics they are using even if they are not aware of it. I advise them to inspect the packaging of any products they purchase. I urge them to provide me with dry, multi-layered plastic," he said.

He wants to take his efforts to raise awareness about plastic garbage even further by including his village. "There has just recently begun to be a problem with plastic contamination. I want to raise awareness today so that landfills are not created," he remarked.

Puri beach was chosen as the venue to display the artwork in order to connect with people and assist stop the practice of discarding plastic into the sea, according to Sumitra Padhi, his project coordinator and a member of Utsha Foundation.

Manveer has had a significant impact on the public's perception of plastic garbage as a result of his encounters with the public.

In an interview with ANI, M Patnaik, a local resident, emphasised Manveer's importance in changing his family's attitudes towards the disposal of plastic garbage.  "Manveer came to see us around a month ago. He'd given us a box to keep our plastic in. Previously, the municipality would collect the plastic and transport it to disposal yards. It is beneficial to the environment," he stated.

It appears that Manveer's workshops at schools and universities were also successful. While speaking with ANI, Sasmita, a student who created a drawing using plastic, was similarly pleased with her work and echoed Manveer's feelings about plastic pollution.

"I used a pencil to draw first. I used small plastic pieces this time to draw as well. I am really happy with my art. I never thought of plastic as a medium to create art. I made a turtle. We are humans but we often forget that others have a right to live too and we dump plastic. I urge people to upcycle plastic and make art out of it," she said.

Manveer's initiative has also impressed tourists. According to Abhimanyu, who also happens to be one of Manveer's teachers, "I'm overjoyed that he's taking on this task. He used to paint when he was my student, but then he became interested in environmental issues, which are still relevant now. He has created amazing work, and I am delighted to be here to witness it."

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI