PLASTIC DREAMS: Exhibition of the BBK Düsseldorf at the BBK Kunstforum

Plastic, or more precisely synthetic polymers, were first developed at the end of the 19th century. The first fully synthetic plastic was invented by Leo Hendrik Baekeland in 1907 and was known as Bakelite. In the decades that followed, many other plastics were developed and manufactured, including polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, nylon and polystyrene. These plastics are still used today in many products that affect almost all areas of everyday life.

The plastic boom in the 1950s

Plastic has many practical properties that make it a very popular material to this day, such as its durability, light weight, high flexibility and, above all, low cost. There was a real plastic boom as early as the 1950s, when the use of plastic in the production of mass-produced goods such as toys, household goods, packaging and car parts increased rapidly. At that time, plastic was a relatively new technology that offered many advantages. The plastic boom of the 1950s was fuelled by a number of factors, including increasing industrialisation, the growth of the consumer society and the spread of new manufacturing technologies such as injection moulding, which made the mass production of plastic products possible in the first place. However, few thought about the consequences of plastic use at the time.

From plastic dream to plastic nightmare

Today it is well known that plastic has significant negative effects on the environment. For one thing, the material takes a very long time to degrade in the environment. It often takes several hundred years for plastic to completely degrade. Another problem is the pollution that occurs when plastic is disposed of improperly. Plastic often ends up in nature, including in oceans, rivers and lakes. There it can lead to pollution that harms animals and plants. And when plastic breaks down in the environment, it becomes smaller particles called microplastics. And microplastics are also found in cosmetic products, for example, in shampoos, shower gels or clothing. These smallest particles enter the food chain, which has negative effects on animals and humans.

Artistic approaches on the subject of plastic

The participating artists of the exhibition PLASTIC DREAMS, all members of the BBK Düsseldorf, have artistically dealt with the topic of plastic and the ecological challenges and will present their works in a juried group exhibition from 23 March to 2 April 2023 at the BBK Kunstforum in Düsseldorf. The exhibits include graphics, collages, sculptures, paintings and photography.

All information about the exhibition “PLASTIC DREAMS” at a glance

Opening: 23.03.2023, 19:00 hrs
Exhibition period: 24.03. until 02.04.2023
Opening hours: Thu 17.00 – 20.00, Sat & Sun 15.00 – 18.00
Location: BBK Kunstforum, Birkenstraße 47, Düsseldorf

Artists: