Coastal Cleanup installation

Trash collected in the marshes along South San Francisco Bay, metallic structure
Dimensions: 120” (L) x 19” x 72” (H)
2016

Coastal Cleanup brings to the public a sample of the trash that litters the San Francisco Bay. It represents the cleanup of a small area and it took less that one hour to pick up all the elements of the installation.

When you walk along the beautiful shores along the bay it is not always easy to spot the trash. But when you participated in a cleanup you walk off the trail and you can see litter everywhere in the wetlands: balls, plastic bottles, plastic straws, styrofoarm cups, glass bottles, candy wraps, containers, shoes, bullet casing, ziploc bags, toys, you name it. It is pretty impressive and depressing!

The land around the San Francisco Bay is all constructed, and all the human activities are changing our watershed. If we know more about what is going on, where our water comes from, where it goes after we use it, and how and why litter end up in the creeks and ultimately in the bay (with the wind, through the creeks and canals, through storm drains). I am thrilled that this new version of my first Cleanup installation is on view at the Sunnyvale Library.

This installation is the occasion to think more about our unique Bay and how to protect it.

Places where the installation was exhibited:

Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, CA

Installation on view from April 2017 – present
Headquarter Building: 5700 Almaden Expressway
San José, CA 95118-3686

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Center, San Jose, CA

Installation on view from July 2016 to April 2017

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Free Family Workshop – Saturday, October 1st, 2016
BAY DAY Litter Poster Making
Environmental Education Center, Alviso
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Using paper cuts, found plastic debris and photography, create a poster (or more!) about how to protect our watershed, including our bay, a rich, unique and fragile eco-system. This hands-on workshop is led by Michele Guieu, who is exhibiting her installation “Coastal Clean Up” at the Education Center for the summer. Please bring your smart phone and/or tablet, and please download the free app PicCollage before coming. Thank you! Age 7 and up please. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Go to: http://baydaylitter.eventbrite.com Questions? Julie: 408-262-5513 ext.104

IMG_6263 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

IMG_6257 michele guieu coastal cleanup 02

P1090615 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

P1090616 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

P1090625 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

P1090622 02 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

P1090614 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

P1090627 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

IMG_6266 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

IMG_6256 michele guieu coastal cleanup 2

Plastic trash is hidden in the marshland along the San Francisco Bay

Sunnyvale Public Library, Sunnyvale, CA

Installation on view from March to June 2016

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Free Family workshop in relation to the installation, April 26, 2016
Protecting the Watershed – Poster Making with tablets
Sunnyvale Library – April 26, from 6 to 8pm

With Michele Guieu, Visual Artist and Art Educator Specialist and Jackie Davison, Environmental Outreach Coordinator at the Environmental Services Department in Sunnyvale. Using paper cuts, found plastic debris and photography, create a poster (or more!) about how to protect our watershed, including our bay, a rich, unique and fragile eco-system. This hands-on workshop is led by Michele Guieu, who is exhibiting her installation “Coastal Clean Up” at the library during the month of April, and Jackie Davison, who will be demonstrating the consequences of human activities on our watershed with an enviroscape.
Please bring your smart phone and/or tablet. For the participants who have an iPad or an iPhone, please download the free app PicCollage before coming. Thank you!
Age 7 and up