Work titled A Small Change, A Big Impact by Maria Komal Abie.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Culture-based platform Art4you Gallery has launched its “Let’s Live with Less Plastic” virtual art exhibition (July 21 – Aug. 21) as a reminder to millions across the globe to reduce plastic usage during Plastic Free July. It is being showcased in its large Virtual 3D Gallery space, and on social media platforms with hashtags #plasticfreejuly #plasticchallenge and #letslivewithlessplastic. UAE-based Art4you aims to create positive cultural shifts through arts advocacy and technology, uniting a group of 20 artists from 15 nationalities, to contribute their skills and inspire people to use less plastic. 

“Placing these artworks in a virtual art gallery is a powerful way to inform everyone about the world’s plastic pollution crises, while also asking them to contribute to the solution,” says Art4you Gallery Co-founder and exhibition curator Jesno Jackson. “Art is an ideal means to express vital messages regarding the state of the planet and society in general. This exhibition has some incredible established and emerging artists. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are being exposed to the exhibit via a link, where they may walk through and experience the 3D interactive area to understand and spread the message of Plastic Free July and plastic pollution in general.”

“Plastic pollution has become one of the most distressing aspects of modern life,” said Rengi Cherian, Co-founder, Art4you Gallery. “Single-use plastic is polluting our oceans, feeding the creatures we consume and eventually, becoming our food. Stop using single-use plastic, demand more effective recycling methods, and put an end to plastic pollution!”

A total of 20 artists are involved, including Ali Alzwaylif - Iraq, Argie Amancio - Philippines, Elizabeth Davis and Kanak Mitra - Oman, Eri Kato - Japan, Gulalek Esenowa - Turkmenistan, Joao Charrua - Portugal, Margarita Ado - Lithuania, Maria Komal Abie, Saida Banu, Suma Dileepkumar, Supriya Chauhan and Veena Devagiri - India, Maisa Taslaq - Jordan, Mussarat Yasmin Abid - Pakistan, Nirmeen Hashim - Egypt, Ruben Molina - Venezuela, Slam Austin - Nigeria, Vasilisa Eliseeva - Russia and Victoria Szydlak - Poland.

  This artwork is titled Save Me.

“Together, through the ‘Tackling Plastic Through Art’ exhibit, let’s advance towards a plastic-free future by encouraging community members to motivate the younger generation and prevent plastic pollution and implement progressive, pro-people and pro-environment policies,” said Chief Guest, Fatima Martin, Principal and CEO, Gems New Millennium School, Dubai, during the inaugural function. Peter Farrington, International Environmental Conservationist said: “Though the exhibit is meant to reveal the shocking impact of plastic on the environment, it also serves as a call to action. Individual action, while essential, no longer seems to be enough.”

The artworks in the virtual show offer the opportunity to learn about environmental issues and how to live more sustainably with ‘No Plastic’. The artists use all types of material for their paintings – leaves, flowers, T-Shirts, denims, twigs, plastic, cardboards, palm trees, recycled plastics, broken mirrors, among others – to create sustainable artworks and depicting their emotions and feelings towards Planet Earth. The idea of Let’s Live with Less Plastic is supported by Plastic Free July Foundation and will be on show across the UK for #plasticfreejuly as well as being online at www.art4yougallery.com.

Art4you Gallery discloses that they are the only community registered with Plastic Free July organisation from the UAE for the campaign in 2023, sharing #plasticfreejuly initiatives. Other than the art exhibition, other Art4you events included the following: July 8 saw an eco-friendly Live Art show titled The Green Revolution being organised in Dubai. 15 UAE based artists from 10 nationalities painted live on the subject of eco-friendly art with the theme ‘Beat Plastic through Art’. The event was hosted with the support of sustainability partner The Green Revolution under the supervision of the founder and sustainability mentor Bhumika Maniyar at their Garden Boutique in Business Bay.

Participating artists were Lene Pieters – South Africa, Tetiana Yatlo, Malek Elsakka – Ukraine, Nirmeen Hashim – Egypt, Meetu Garg, Kumar Chadayamangalam, Jesno Jackson – India, Ghaya Al Hababi – UAE, Dima Albitar – Syria, Alia Amin – Pakistan, Labiba Ferhat – Algeria, Yuliya Solomennaya – Belarus and Fatima Ghandour – Lebanon.

July 11 saw the gathering of the Plastic Free Morning Tea enthusiasts. It was a popular way of making and sharing tea and food, and informative conversations about plastic-free solutions. Art4you’s initiative saw the consumption of tea that was not wrapped in plastic. A panel discussion on Tackling Plastic Through Art was held on July 22. A group of environmental advocates and sustainable artists, including Eng. Maitha Alblooshi, Lene Pieters, Rabah El Aawar, Kiara Kaur, Alaa El-Hag and Maria Komal Abie, spoke about awareness, conservation, and sustainability. They discussed alternative zero-waste solutions. ‘What does sustainable living mean to you?’ was one of the subjects. Another theme was ‘Can We Survive Without Single-Use Plastic?’

“No step is insignificant when taken in the right direction,” said Jackson, “especially when it comes to making an impactful positive change to our environment and future generations. This initiative has paved the way for everyone to contribute and be mindful of their choices.” Each step contributes substantially to sustainability for a greener future, she added. “Our artists wanted to honour the earth and its environment by expressing their feelings through art. “These initiatives are a type which promise to give viewers a multi-sensory experience of something we take for granted as a given in everyday life — plastic waste.”