School of Visual Arts (SVA) next month will present "Plasticulture: The Rise of Sustainable Practices with Polymers," an exhibition of works by 15 artists from Project Vortex, an artist collective innovating with plastic debris, and curated by founding artist Aurora Robson. By combining artistic expression with scientific exploration, "Plasticulture" aspires to encourage individuals and communities to embrace more sustainable practices and play a part in fostering a healthier planet. The exhibition will be on view Saturday, October 26, through Saturday, December 7, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 W 26^th St, 15^th floor, New York City.

Operating at the intersection of art and science, the 45 works in “Plasticulture” inspire a rethinking and reinvention of plastic debris. Plastic is designed with "archival integrity," so it makes an excellent medium for a vast number of creative applications. Through a variety of practices including sculpture and photography, these artists emphasize the significant environmental repercussions of plastic use and pollution, aiming to increase global awareness, consciousness and action.

Leticia Bajuyo’s mesmerizing, shimmering wall of compact discs is a reminder of media formats that fall out of fashion. Alejandro Durán’s surreal three-dimensional photo prints bring piles of plastic waste pouring out of the frame and literally onto the floor in front of them. Bryan Northup’s colorful mosaics play tricks on the eye.

“This exhibition highlights a variety of methods in which artists are using their visionary skills to envision and create a more sustainable future. Artists can embrace the archival integrity of plastic debris in a way that it becomes an asset rather than a problem,” says Robson.

Additional exhibiting artists include Tom Deininger, Ellen Driscoll, Natalya Khorover, Niki Lederer, Pam Longobardi, Kristyna and Marek Milde, Portia Munson, Studio KCA, Ian Trask, Tyrome Tripoli and Benjamin Von Wong. As members of the Project Vortex Collective, their work supports and contributes to efforts to reduce the influx of plastic waste in the environment. Comprised of artists, designers and architects around the globe who are actively intercepting the plastic waste stream as part of our independent practices, the collective is a constantly expanding network.

Originally from Canada and now based in the Hudson Valley, curator and founding artist Robson is a multi-media artist known predominantly for her meditative work intercepting the plastic waste stream. Her practice is about shifting negative trajectories. Her work formally references recurring nightmares that she had as a child which she hybridizes with organic forms found in nature. Robson holds Bachelor of Art degrees in visual arts and art history from Columbia University. Her work has been featured in Sculpture Magazine, Art in America, WIRED, Art & Antiques, on the cover of Green Building + Design and numerous other publications. She is a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Grant, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Sculpture, a TED/Lincoln Re-Imagine Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts Art Work Grant.

The exhibition will be on view Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00pm. The gallery will be closed Thursday, November 28, through Sunday, December 1, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The gallery is fully accessible by wheelchair.

School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 7,000 students at its Manhattan campus and more than 42,000 alumni from 128 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 31 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.