Art of Change 21 – What brought you to work on plastic pollution and environmental issues?
Serge Attukwei Clottey – I grew up in Labadi, Accra, next to a lagoon separating my hometown from the next one. These past few years, a conflict between these two towns about who owned the lagoon began. Labadi won, but started to sell parts of the lagoon to foreigners, drying it with sand, which had a catastrophic impact on the local biodiversity. In response, I started an on-going project using yellow gallon containers cut into small pieces to create bridges between the two cities, in order to question ownership and wonder what would have happened to the lagoon if it still belonged to both towns. I use art as a language to draw people’s attention.
 
AOC21 – What impact has your work had on the public?
S.A.C. – I always involve the community in the creation of my work. For the production of my installation, I collaborated with friends and family from my neighbourhood. I like to engage people in the process, and I always exhibit my work in my studio in Labadi for the people in the surrounding area to see. Artists have a very strong role in the community, and they have the entire world to explore environmental issues through materialism.
 
AOC21 – What are you future research projects?
S.A.C. – I am currently preparing an exhibition in Norway for April 2019 where I’ll cover an entire building with my yellow plastic assemblages.

Photo: Courtesy of the artist

More information about Serge Attukwei Clottey, here

Find all the articles from Impact Art News n°5 — January 2019