An experimental mural from bioplaster, using locally sourced food waste
A mural shaped from bioplaster developed by Blanka Byrwa, made with students and put on the facade of Primary School No. 17 in Gdynia. Jacek Wielebski's design represents seaweed – macroalgae from which sodium alginate is sourced, highlighting the problem of rapidly diminishing biodiveristy in the Baltic Sea. The plaster was made out of waste from the school canteen, local restaurants and construction waste collected from the immediate surroundings of the school.
Local
Poland
Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-09-30
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Traffic Design Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Monika Last name of representative: Domańska Gender: Female Nationality: Poland Function: COO & PR Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Żeromskiego 36 Town: Gdynia Postal code: 81-346 Country: Poland Direct Tel:+48 607 083 711 E-mail:kontakt@trafficdesign.pl Website:https://trafficdesign.pl/en
An experimental mural from bioplaster made with students, using locally sourced waste, installed on the facade of Primary School No. 17 in Gdynia’s residential district, Grabówek. The work was created as a part of Biennale of Design and Urban Art 2022.
The mural refers to old biology textbooks, and depicts seaweed – specifically macroalgae from which sodium alginate is sourced. Fucus vesiculosus is the main visual motif of the mural - it is a species of seaweed that was common in the Baltic up until the second part of the XXth century. It is now extinct in this part of the world, due to heavy pollution and unsustainable exploitation. Despite efforts to reintroduce it, Fucus vesiculosus is yet to be observed by researchers patrolling the Baltic seacoast.
The plaster was made out of waste from the school canteen (like carrot peels and eggshells), local restaurants (providing coffee grounds and potato peels) and construction waste (ash, wood shavings, etc. ) collected from the immediate surroundings, as well as of chemical additives of natural origin. Three materials were used as a binder: lime from eggshells, sodium alginate from brown algae and pine resin. The mural consists of 4 colour blends, each with its own leading ingredient. Spatial elements resembling bubbles were made during the workshop by fourth grade students.
The piece appeals to various senses: you can not only look at it, but also touch the plaster and its 3D elements. What is more the mural smells of coffee, so interacting with the art is a truly sensual experience.
public art
biodiveristy
biodegradable materials
macroalgae
upcycling
The mural explores the themes of sustainability in the choice of materials.
The plaster was made out of waste from the school canteen, local restaurants and construction waste collected from the immediate surroundings, as well as of chemical additives of natural origin. Three materials were used as a binder: lime from eggshells, sodium alginate from brown algae and pine resin. The mural consists of 4 colour blends, each with its own leading ingredient: turmeric, coffee dregs, carrot peels and ash. As such, the project explores the themes of what is considered waste and how we can repurpose these materials.
As one of the NEB objectives is to research and propagate sustainable practices in the building industry, our project is meant to be a testing ground for new kinds of plaster. The objective was to use art as a means of testing the new material - the aesthetically pleasing form in this context serves to amplify the message. We hope that, by making art, we can test various materials and communicate their usability to the construction sector through our wide media outreach.
As the time passes, we will observe how the mural ages, and how the colour made with natural dyes changes. This will enable us to plan how to use it in future projects and to share this knowledge. We have already determined that the bioplaster is sturdy enough to endure below 0 temperatures and high humidity.
The project can be exemplary as a case study of a public, large-scale artwork created from materials sourced directly from its surroundings, therefore bypassing industrial chemicals and delivery chains. Moreover, the idea of using organic waste as dye, instead of industrial pigments, can be easily replicated to create a variety of earth tones, corresponding with colours usually present in architecture. We hope that these material engineering solutions, as they are in line with NEB values, can be implemented in a variety of building projects.
Gdynia is a city on the coastline, it was built with a harbour at its focal point, so its existence depends on utilising the proximity and the resources of the sea. A macroalgae named Fucus vesiculosus is the main visual motif of the mural - it is a species of seaweed that was common in the Baltic until the second part of the XXth century, when it went extinct due to heavy exploitation and pollution. This story strikes a chord with the local community, as Fucus vesiculosus used to be a familiar sight and a natural plaything found on the beach - now it is no more. This heritage-based narrative enabled us to communicate the loss of native species and diminishing biodiversity in the heavily polluted Baltic Sea through a local perspective. According to Blanka Byrwa, the designer responsible for engineering plaster, if brought back and sourced responsibly, Fucus vesiculosus could become a steady, local source of sodium alginate - a natural binder that could be used in locally manufacturing various materials, like bioplastics.
The artwork is located on a building near the entrance to the woods, depicting a variety of organic shapes. The style of the artwork is illustrative and playful, yet simple and in a natural colour palette. It was inspired by an aesthetic derived from old biology textbooks about algae. It is a piece of art that fits with the architectural context and the immediate surroundings of the piece in terms of colour palette, material, composition and themes.
Moreover, this project is an example of “ecodesign” that is not only environmentally friendly, but also highly aesthetic - the fact that the mural got praised by design-oriented media outlets is a proof of that. In many cases, products and artwork made in the spirit of upcycling or circular economy fail to meet the same aesthetic standards as their traditionally manufactured counterparts. The biomural combines both - a visual experience to satisfy a design savvy audience and a sustainable approach.
The mural is located on a public, municipality managed elementary school, and it is clearly visible from the street. Art placed in the public realm, instead of a gallery, is by default the most inclusive method of exhibiting. For this project we chose a residential district, Grabówek (historically tied to the harbour workforce), not the celebrated city centre. By placing a public piece of art in the less renowned part of the city, we aimed to create a landmark that would aesthetically enrich the area and foster the sense of pride and belonging amongst its community. It is important to note that our curator approached this topic as a member of Grabówek’s community.
The project is an example of a simple, yet effective method of generating social engagement: even if a designer is needed to create the composition to ensure the aesthetic quality of a piece placed in the public realm, the local community can be involved in different stages of the project, be it the choice of a topic or the execution stage. The additional benefit is cross-generational involvement; as not only students, but also their guardians, contributed to the creation of the mural. The workshop was completely cost-free and conducted as a part of daily school activities. The idea that inclusive, public art created in collaboration with the audience makes for an outcome that the audience can claim as their own (as proved by parent’s responses to the mural’s media coverage) is easily transferable and can be replicated in a variety of public art projects.
The pupils taking part in the workshop learned a different way of thinking about waste and how it can be repurposed. In the days preceding the event, the children acted with their guardians to collect waste, involving whole households in this activity and impacting their way of thinking. This could be measured after the project went public - pupils’ parents were very vocal on social media with their positive feedback and were publicly advocating in favour of the project. Social media influencers specialising in sustainability issues shared the story on their channels, and local and national media reported the creation of the mural. Finally, the mural remains on the school’s facade - it can serve as an educational tool for teachers, inspiring a debate with students about environmental challenges.
In the context of civil society engagement, it is worth noting that the project was initiated, coordinated, carried out and implemented by Traffic Design which is an NGO. Local, independent businesses who contributed their organic waste to the workshop and to the creation of the mural could advertise themselves by doing so. The overall spirit of the project was that of the community sharing the responsibility of caring for their immediate environment.
The project is strictly a local initiative, bound to the lore of the city of Gdynia. It was created as a part of Biennale of Urban Art and Design 2022, an art festival sponsored by The City of Gdynia. The municipality’s support enables us to work with public entities and to place art in spaces owned and managed by the local government, like the Primary School no. 17. The school’s staff was actively involved in the collaboration, prompting students and their family members to participate, while local businesses, who contributed their organic waste, helped spread the word.
The designer, Blanka Byrwa, was responsible for material engineering - in her professional practice she follows research into macroalgae, while simultaneously experimenting with ways of sustainable sourcing and usage of natural resources. Her collection of books on algae was what inspired the visuals designed by Jacek Wielebski, the graphic designer who created the design of the artwork. The form of the mural was designed, so that the pupils could participate in the making of some elements during the workshop. Natalia Wielebska was the project coordinator and a link between the teachers and Blanka, who conducted the workshop. Two media specialists worked with the authors to communicate the idea behind the mural by compiling posts and publications for social media platforms and a press pack. The execution team worked on site, interacting with the teachers, parents and passers-by, generating a buzz around the creation of the new landmark.
The main impact of the project was on school pupils who took part in the project, but also on the whole households, as other family members took part in collecting materials for the mural.
We successfully communicated the issue of biodiversity loss in an engaging way that appeals to the local community. The mural received only positive feedback in comment sections across social media, a very rare occurrence. Thanks to the positive experience during the workshop, the pupil's parents claimed the mural as their own and were advocating in favour of it and of the idea behind the artwork on social media. The topic got amplified by a variety of national and regional media (including outlets from the architecture and design field), such as: Radio Eska, TVN24, Mad White, trojmiasto.pl, A&B Wnętrza, Radio Gdańsk etc.
Additionally, the story of the extinct algae and the experimental bioplaster was communicated through an exhibition in our gallery and through a printed publication available in our gallery all through the Biennale.
Mainstream actions in the field of street art usually involve an artist working solo, who chooses the artwork’s topic and works on its form as well. In this case, the topic was put forward by Blanka, the designer who does research into the uses of macroalgae, while Jacek, the designer, shaped the composition. Usually an industry-manufactured facade paint is used to execute the design, while in this case we used an innovative bioplaster. It is unusual for such a topic as biodiversity to be a basis of an artwork situated on school grounds - usually schools lean towards murals exploring themes of history or education. What is more, the mural appealed to various senses: apart from looking at it, the audience could also touch its 3D elements and smell a scent of coffee, thanks to the used materials.
When it comes to aesthetics, it is common for public space projects to be implemented with no regard to surroundings - in terms of architectural context, colours, materials, themes and the overall composition. In this project, the simple forms depicted on the mural, the texture of bioplaster and earth tones used in the composition correspond with the architecture, while algae as the main motif suits the coastal city of Gdynia.
Designers, artists and visual communicators can use their skills to take an active role in the necessary change towards a sustainable future by exploring environmentally friendly materials and by communicating the need for change; the biomural exemplifies this statement.
The innovative approach embodied in this project is summed up in a phrase: “turn around and take a step forward”. The mural advocates for a shift from using industry-manufactured, toxic materials to natural, biodegradable dyes, as was done in the past.
The approach that resulted in the completion of the biomural was derived from the wider viewpoint propelling the 2022 Biennale of Public Art and Design - an event organised by Traffic Design. In last year’s edition we explored circular materials in architecture detail and public art. Apart from experimenting with bioplaster and natural dyes, we learned how to recycle shredded plastic waste to make plastic sheets that can be used in a variety of ways and collaborated with the Rotterdam-based collective, the New Raw, to place a massive relief sculpture made with repurposed plastic waste sourced from the sea on the one of the harbourside building’s facade. The experimental mural feeds into the idea of using waste as a resource for public art projects.
The event is a testing ground for our team, and as we also take on commissions in the private sector as a design studio, we make use of these experiences to recommend sustainable solutions to our clients. We are already on our way to execute a private sector project using recycled plastic sheets. We hope the same will be done with bioplaster.
Finally, we take communication seriously and the process of compiling press packs, expanding our social media presence and communicating the deeper meaning behind each piece is a vital part of our methodology.
The following aspects of our project can be transferred to other places, groups and context: the practice of sourcing materials for public art from local businesses’ waste, the technology of biodegradable plaster (even in larger scale than a mural), the participatory process enacted through a workshop that generates the feeling of ownership in the community, engaging different groups - not only elementary school students, but also university students (especially art and design majors), the idea of communicating a global issue (like the loss of biodiversity) on a local level by selecting an example from the local environment and, finally, the biomural as a product that can be recreated, using a different motif sourced from a local context or a history of habitat changes.
We live in the era of mass-produced architecture. The same building solutions are used across the world and materials from distant locations are shipped to places through long supply-chains, generating carbon emissions. Our project addresses the importance of locally sourced materials and seeking site-specific solutions. It also rises up to the challenge of communicating the importance of biodiversity in a personal manner that makes people care, by exploring local context and themes.
We would like to see more local community engagement through public art - in case of new developments or reclaiming existing architecture. Rapid changes in the urban landscape that we witness in Gdynia and in many places around the world leave many citizens feeling powerless. Through participating in public art projects in these emerging spaces, the local community can feel more enabled to participate in the transformation of the urban environment, and build on the sense of local identity. We strongly believe that this practice can be explored in other places in the world.
