Reconfiguring the everyday: plastic waste as performance art in addressing the incongruity between the ‘talk’ and the ‘walk’ in the plastic crisis

Abstract

Despite the attention drawn to the plastic crisis by the media and environmental campaigns, much of the practice around single-use plastic has remained unchanged. It appears that, although many know the correct position to assume regarding the issue, the ‘talk’ does not necessarily translate into action. This incongruity can be explained with reference to Heidegger’s theory on the everydayness of discourse which suggests that a lack of authenticity underlies our everyday interactions and that what is needed is a different kind of encounter with the world. In the light of this we consider Ranciere’s theory on the potential of a political artwork to disrupt the everyday and prompt a different response. Within the framework of these theories, this paper discusses a performance artwork protesting plastic pollution – namely 12 Plastic Monsters by Luke Rudman - as an alternative strategy to prompt a fresh engagement with the issue.