Microplastic Paradise
2024 Street Wise Mural Festival
Location: Retaining wall along Goose Creek Path near 4847 Pearl St Boulder, CO 80301
Photos by Dona and Niko Laurita, and Cam Margera
A punch of hot pink washes over the retaining wall. The radioactive sea swims with larger-than-life cutesy ducks, sharks, flamingos, and a palm tree. A closer look reveals that these aren’t living creatures, but rather plastic inflatable pool toys - a shark with handles for kids to ride in the pool, a decorative inflatable palm tree to provide shade while mom lounges in a flamingo-shaped tube. Rubber ducks with everlasting smiles and baseball caps float throughout.
These figures turn refuse into something fun and pleasant. However idyllic the scene appears at first, chaos overshadows its whimsy. Juxtaposed with the crumbled plastic bottles, the viewer can see these plastic items for what they are: garbage.
Dreamscape’s 70-foot mural for #SWMF2024 explores the critical issue of plastic and microplastic pollution, which impacts our environment and health. The artist challenges the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality that dominates our thinking about the objects we use (and throw away) everyday. “Microplastic Paradise” critiques the environmental impact of our disposable culture. Afterall, where does that plastic end up?
Motivated by her background in nursing, Dreamscape highlights how plastic affects human health in addition to the natural habitats of aquatic animals. Microplastics disrupt ecosystems and sea life, entering food chains and eventually showing up in our food, water, and bodies. According to the EPA, “Microplastics have been found in every ecosystem on the planet, from the Antarctic tundra to tropical coral reefs, and have been found in food, beverages, and human and animal tissue.”
Dreamscape sought to disarm viewers through the vibrant and playful imagery like the rubber ducks. Contrasted with the inclusion of everyday objects like the plastic bottles, the artist urges viewers to reconsider plastic as a convenient option. Inspired by the nursing philosophy of preventative care, she encourages people to make healthier choices, both for themselves and our environment.
Individuals certainly don’t hold all, or even most, of the blame. Corporations fuel plastic dependency by producing single-use plastics. More than half of the world’s single-use plastic waste could be traced directly to just 20 petrochemical companies, according to the Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023.
What changes can we make to reduce our reliance on plastics? How can we pressure corporations to change their ways?
Artist Bio:
Rachel, also known as Dreamscape, is a multidisciplinary artist and muralist. Her artworks can be seen across the US, the UK, Italy, and South America.
Rachel draws inspiration from strong powerful women and the expression of hip-hop and graffiti culture. In her early 20s, Rachel started painting under the guidance of graffiti writers in Honolulu, Hawaii. She honed her skills with a spray can and realized the importance of concept and storytelling through art. Since then, and with over a decade of experience, she strives to create positivity within the imagery and messages of her murals. She aspires to inspire younger generations and women to pursue their creative passion.
When Rachel is not planning art projects with local schools, businesses or nonprofits, she works under her registered nursing license in Colorado.