RUFAI ZAKARI: RECYCLING WASTE FOUND ON THE STREETS OF ACCRA
Rufai Zakari's work examines consumerism, environmental pollution, labour, trade, and the perils of industrialisation in contemporary Ghanaian society and bases his practice on the recycling of waste found in the streets of Accra. He uses discarded single-use plastics and found objects including plastic bags, food packages and plastic bottles to make figurative collages. He fuses plastic scraps, trims them into shapes and forms and stitches them together with needle and thread, sometimes even using rope.
This body of work draws on how Africa has an almost continuous stream of arriving containers filled with discarded items — from electronic waste to used clothing. It's not only a nuisance, but it poses a threat to both human health and the environment.
This body of work draws on how Africa has an almost continuous stream of arriving containers filled with discarded items — from electronic waste to used clothing. It's not only a nuisance, but it poses a threat to both human health and the environment.
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