To express her concern over the increasing amounts of human-made debris contaminating the world’s marine eco-systems, Fran Crowe resolved to ‘save one square mile of sea’ by collecting 46,000 pieces of plastic marine litter whilst walking on beaches near her home in Suffolk. As she walks, she collects any human-made litter in her path, most of which has been washed up by the sea. According to the United Nations, 46,000 is the average number of plastic pieces of litter per square mile of ocean world-wide.
Starting in September 2006, Crowe took one year to ‘save’ her one square mile of sea by collecting 46,000 pieces of litter.
cartridges
| ‘Whilst walking, I am moved by the seemingly untouched beauty of the landscape and yet at the same time am shocked by the striking contrast with the human-made debris which inhabits it. This is a contrast also reflected in the pleasure of my walking and the burden of my rubbish collecting, a kind of bargain struck with nature. I aim to convey this contrast in my work and to provoke and inspire the viewer to want also to take action.’ In total, Fran collected nearly one-third of a tonne of litter. The collection will eventually be recycled but in the meantime Fran uses it as a fascinating but shocking resource to draw attention to our careless use of plastics and the environmental problems that can result.
She has created huge installations of marine litter, including The Oil Age Hut, and taken over 23 rooms in Landguard Fort in Felixstowe. Meanwhile she continues to collect:
Hut Living
| ‘I can’t help it. The objects fascinate me but I am also all too aware of the harm they can cause left on the beach or in the sea. I always collect as I walk….’
Fran has plans for a more interactive future for her collection, including a Museum of Beyond, imagining a future beyond oil where these plastic objects continue to wash up out of the sea. Walking to Save Some Sea
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