Martin Waters - Artist in Residence (AIR)
Martin Waters, a local artist, has been using marine litter found at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Spurn National Nature Reserve in a creative manner to highlight the shear quantity of litter found on our beaches. Martin has just completed a year long residency in the lighthouse, where he has spent his time collecting beach litter in order to create sensational sculptures. Martin is no stranger to Spurn and has been visiting the reserve since he was a child. Martin’s artwork is contemporary and inspired by the idea that objects are unique to the beholder.
“My work is concerned with the elemental nature of existence and the transient form of natural and manufactured objects. Importance is placed with the elemental effects on natural and manmade materials from exposure to the sea. They are evidence of the power of natural forces to change this detritus into unique special objects of great beauty for their own sake.”
Inspiration
The initial inspiration behind the work focussed on the idea that when people visit a site they will often be seen to pick up an object of some sort and carry it around for the day. Martin found this idea fascinating. What is it about one particular object that attracts someone’s attention? Martin used this idea to start his work, choosing individual objects and framing them. This later developed into grouping objects and making collections using colours and spiral shapes.
“The environmental artwork at Spurn, relates to the stark environment, the groynes, the lighthouse, movement, the disintegration and destruction, the ebb and flow, the organic nature of the space, homage to the creative force Spurn evokes in me.”
All artwork created consisted of material both natural and manmade in origin found on the reserve. On starting the residency, Martin found himself collecting two or three sackfuls of plastic alone each day, interestingly though by the end of his year he found he was only collecting half a bucket everyday, suggesting some rubbish was being removed from the system and not replaced. Some of the materials he collected, such as smartie tops and children’s toys are no longer in production suggesting they had either spent some time on the beach before being collected or floating within the sea. Whilst collecting material several interesting objects were found, including messages in bottles, one of which had travelled from the Netherlands.
A taster of Martin’s work is currently available to view in the café at Spurn; other pieces went on display from March in various locations around Yorkshire. To find out more visit www.martinwaters.blogspot.com
