Exactly Foundation – Plasticity by Ernest Goh

In physics, Plasticity describes the deformation of a material by an applied force. Since its first appearance in 1907, synthetic plastic has forced a permanent change in human cultures and commerce globally. We are all addicted to plastic and the great convenience it has brought us  but along with that, plastic has also brought about catastrophic environmental pollution and potentially harmful effects on human health. To artist Ernest Goh, what he finds on Punggol beaches is plastic trash. What he wants us to fuss over is what we don’t see: the tiny microplastic bits that marine life mistake as food. Ernest zooms into the epic scale of plastic pollution via extreme close-up images of microplastic fragments some just 2-3mm in width but reproduced super-sized. The artist wants to emphasise that, ‘these fragments of plastic may be minuscule but their devastating impact on us in larger-than-life’.

Includes a keynote essay by Sarah Ichioka, entitled Picking Up the Pieces.

About Ernest Goh

As an art practitioner and visual artist in natural history and wildlife, Ernest Goh’s interest in plastic pollution was sparked by his realisation that the ocean’s marine life is the first stakeholder to be severely affected by plastic trash. This prompted the artist to investigate the complex relationship between animals, human and plastic via Ayer Ayer Project, an ecological -engaged art project that aims to inform and engage the public on the impact and severity of plastic pollution through participatory artworks. Ernest’s work was commissioned by and installed at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Singapore, collected by the Multimedia Art Museum Moscow, and many also are in corporate, public and private collections. He is also the creative director of The Animal Book Co. which works with animal welfare groups through art and design.

About Exactly Foundation

Exactly Foundation is a not-for-profit, trademarked registered label established by Li Li Chung to commission photographers to create works that stimulate discussion of social concerns in Singapore. Its goal is to produce new knowledge by having viewers engage with the photographs and share them with friends and family over a 2-3 month period.