Activity

1. Present a range of everyday objects to the group. Discuss briefly which are ‘sustainable’ and why – students could also hunt for objects around their classroom which they think are sustainable. E.g. refillable water bottle, bamboo tooth brush, bar of soap, food wraps, reusable shopping bag. Less eco-friendly, unsustainable products could include single use coffee cups, wet wipes/face wipes, plastic straws, plastic bottles.
2. Show students Robert Bradford’s recycled toy sculptures, and Jason Mercier’s junk portraits.
3. Challenge them to design their own sculptures using found ‘junk’ materials. They could discuss this or work in pairs to begin with. Will your objects use sustainable products or unsustainable ones – why? What will your sculpture be of? What do you want people to think about when they see your sculpture?
   4. Students draw their sculpture designs, this could either be a simple technical plan or an artistic impression.

Reflection

• Do you think you could do more at home/in-school to use sustainable products?

• How might your sculpture encourage people to think about sustainability?

Go Further

If delivering this in an art class, you could go on to develop the drawings into realistic
illustrations, allowing students to draw from images or real-life objects. You could select a design as a class to build, providing the materials would be possible to source.

Imaginative: Playing with Possibilities

Students think outside the box to use products in a creative and experimental way while considering their impact on the planet and the meaning of sustainability.