Aquadyne Sculpture

‘Form follows garbage’ is Rotterdam-based artist Jan Eric Visser’s motto, which his work takes literally. As a sculptor, he emphasizes the complete lack of virgin material in his works, which are usually made from household or urban refuse. He envisions a future where ‘waste’ is not garbage but a cherished resource.

Aquadyne is a highly porous material made from recycled plastic. It actively encourages the attachment of root systems and can therefore host a variety of plant life. It can also be used for drainage, eco-roofing and vertical farming. The makers of Aquadyne invited Visser to come to England to create a sculpture from this new material. Inspired by the surroundings, he gathered a large quantity of litter from around the factory (grills, hubcaps, a motorcycle helmet, a lawnmower and branches), building a skeleton of a sculpture and covering it with Aquadyne. Someday, Aquadyne Sculpture will be overgrown with mosses and other plants, demonstrating waste’s potential non-linear life cycle.