What to do with All the Plastic? PLASTICUS, from the Monsters of Waste series ’, is a response to the plastic crisis the world is experiencing. By 2050 it is expected that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Studies show that humans digest a credit-card sized amount of plastic each week (5g) and what we righteously put into our recycling bins never makes it, only 9% of the 130kg per person per year.

During the big pandemic lockdowns, the artist’s local soft plastic recycling was terminated which triggered the question that the work is named after. A small personal answer was to make art. Gaby borrowed a loom from a neighbour and for months collected and wove the 24 pieces that comprise the costume. PLASTICUS was born! Gaby then performed at her local Blairgowrie bay beach on Bunurong land and was filmed moving and dancing like plastic waste in the wind and water that pollutes our environment. Her editing process gives an urgency and sinisterness to the work.

24x 20x20square archival photo prints

Gaby began the work in 2021 and continues to develop it. PLASTICUS has been shown as an installation at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, 2022 and Climarte Gallery as part of Creative Constellations, 2024. He has also appeared live in the Gothic Eco-Opera COMMUNE, 2023.