INSTALLATIONS

The 12-foot-tall installation – Niagara Now – recreates the iconic Canadian waterfall using 900 salvaged plastic bottles in an attempt to address the enormous environmental footprint of single-use plastic water bottles in Canada. Contrasted next to the sprawling horseshoe is a solitary Brita LonglastTM Filter, capable of replacing up to 900 single use plastic water bottles (standard 500 mL bottles).

"900 represents the approximate number of bottles consumed and cast aside every five minutes just in Toronto," explains Jay. "Most people are not conscious of that – with this installation, they actually get an immersion in the cumulative impact that opening your wallet out of ignorance has on the world around us."

The 12-foot-tall installation – Niagara Now – recreates the iconic Canadian waterfall using 900 salvaged plastic bottles in an attempt to address the enormous environmental footprint of single-use plastic water bottles in Canada. Contrasted next to the sprawling horseshoe is a solitary Brita LonglastTM Filter, capable of replacing up to 900 single use plastic water bottles (standard 500 mL bottles).

"900 represents the approximate number of bottles consumed and cast aside every five minutes just in Toronto," explains Jay. "Most people are not conscious of that – with this installation, they actually get an immersion in the cumulative impact that opening your wallet out of ignorance has on the world around us."

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/06/explorer-asher-jay-plastic-bottle-art-culture/

An addition to the Message in a Bottle outreach.

Created for the Big Egg Hunt NYC

Height: 40 inches Weight: 65 pounds

We are the i-Generation, and the world orbits our Anthropocene axis of wants and consumer choices, which has resulted in complex cumulative consequences globally, in the form of economic, political, social, and ecological storms. At the eye of the storm is "i," the insatiable human ego, rapaciously devouring the earth's natural resources, endangering the very survival of the human race.

Created for the Big Egg Hunt NYC

Height: 40 inches Weight: 65 pounds

As destruction outweighs creation, all eyes, both human and wild, bear witness to the volatile, imbalanced, fragile state of the planet. 

We need to understand that our human context encompasses everything that preceded us and continues to co-evolve with us. When we damage the wild we are essentially amputating and destroying parts of our own story. The outward storms are a manifestation of the storms brewing within, unresolved conflicts stemming from the separation sickness we endure with the wild.
 

Created for the Big Egg Hunt NYC

Height: 40 inches Weight: 65 pounds

The base painting of the iStorm egg is thus a satellite image of the eye of a tropical storm, portraying physical evidence of our impact on the natural world, upon which numerous eyes have been overlaid by color equivalence.  The eyes offer commentary on our lack of insight, foresight and hindsight, because we dont look to our past and learn from our mistakes, and we don't account for the future in the choices we make today. We simply do not see, despite the overwhelming realities we are enveloped by. We need to open our eyes and take a hard look at our colossal blind spots.

On Display at the Baruch University Courtyard as part of the Big Egg Hunt in NYC. 

On Display at the Baruch University Courtyard as part of the Big Egg Hunt in NYC. 

On Display at the Rockefeller Center Plaza as part of the Big Egg Hunt in NYC. 

18" x 24"

Mixed Media illustration.

Studio Preview - In process.

Studio Preview - In process, getting coated in earth friendly marine varnish.

Mixed media work.

Individual 1 Litre Plastic Water Bottles, collaged in waste paper and painted. The bottles are suspended with plastic rope braided from used plastic bags.

Message in a Bottle, is a conceptual, collaborative campaign that offers individuals who hail from a variety of disciplines the opportunity to express their concerns for Planet Ocean through creative media. This endows marine conservation with a unique united front from which distressed denizens can address the long-term welfare of the primordial soup that gave rise to all life on Earth.

Mixed media work.

Individual 1 Litre Plastic Water Bottles, collaged in waste paper and painted. The bottles are suspended with plastic rope braided from used plastic bags.

The installation initially embraced kindred spirits and cherished friends personally known to creative conservationist Asher Jay, the founder of Sea Speak Sphere but has since expanded its role to integrate participation from concerned citizens worldwide through social media and its official website: seaspeaksphere.com

Like the first 100 voices, the people who elect to get involved in this effort can be from any background or professional path so long as they own their voice and want to use it to aid marine conservation efforts. The renowned “Ocean Voices” on board currently encompass individuals with distinguished careers that span from but are not limited to: photography, science, art, music, film, diving, writing, activism, conservation, sports, exploration, journalism, news anchoring, public speaking, inventing, curating, culinary arts and fashion.

The art installation offers discrete vessels in the form of hand painted plastic PET bottles (post-consumer waste) to an eclectic portfolio of enterprising individuals who have unconditionally pledged their energies, cognitive faculties, personal funds and lives toward the conservation of the world’s oceans so they can channel their respective messages to a broader audience through my art. Some of the voices I have elected to include are more interdisciplinary in their approach but still care tremendously for the planet’s 70%. Each bottle has been custom illustrated to augment the specific voice represented by it and is displayed as a mobile object. The bottles are independently suspended from the ceiling by rope made out of braided post-use plastic shopping bags.” – Asher Jay

“Message in a Bottle” serves as a call to action through creative communication, which is why the platform is open to external input. Communities and schools worldwide are welcome to get on board by giving rise to satellite installations that further the dialogue commenced by Asher Jay. An instructional video that reveals how one should go about up-cycling waste to create the various elements of the installation is available on demand, and can be obtained via a direct email request. Sea Speak Sphere encourages schools to Skype in for a conversation with Jay about ‘how to use art to take a stand for the oceans and the earth.’ This is intended as an inclusive exercise that will inspire children to express their thoughts on oceanic ecosystems in a fun, unbridled manner. It also gives instructors a chance to challenge budding minds to analyze and shape their individual ecological footprints at an early age. Equipping kids with objective information that empowers them to make informed choices will no doubt impact the world in the days to come. Art for Conservation is a curricular must, and Sea Speak Sphere is very eager to introduce this line of study to as many students as possible.

Materials Used

PET bottles/containers, acrylic paints, sponges, gauche, permanent paint markers, Golden 200 GAC primer, sandpaper, ink markers, colored pencils, discarded office paper (from recycling bins), brown paper bags, card stock, walnut ink, gesso, spray paints, old magazines, newspapers, brushes, plastic bags, glue/pulp paste, X-Acto knives, scissors, cutting board, recycled paper, buttons, stickers, fabric scraps, found litter, construction papers, prints of research materials.

Height: 10 Feet Width: 10 Feet Length: 16 Feet (For every 100 bottles)
This installation is composed of mobile objects that can be suspended to suit alternate measurements, i.e. the individual pieces can be custom fit to the dimensions of the space provided, so long as the length and breadth of the space does not diminish the piece by resulting in the visual clutter of the objects that comprise it.

This is an indoor installation as not all the mediums and materials used to illustrate the pieces are water proof or can be subject to sun exposure. The piece needs to be illuminated with track or spot lights as it is indoors and thus needs electricity. Since the installation is composed of artisanal painted objects it cannot be left unguarded and needs a secure space for display.

Audience cannot touch the objects as that they are rendered with mixed media.

It does not require heating or cooling, i.e. no climate control is necessary.

Mixed media work.
Standing Elephant Sculpture Dimensions

Height: 150 cm
Length: 164 cm
Width: 77 cm
Weight: 55 kgs

Fiberglass elephant sculpture covered in collage materials (maps) silicone, plastic, metal, paints and paste.

The elephant sculpture is primarily a collage work. It is a composite image that relies exclusively on information laid out on maps. For the purposes of this sculptural piece, the various synonyms of the term maps is also harnessed to provide viewers with more narrative depth. Guides, charts, plans and diagrams have also been incorporated, as they too encompass elements like ‘scale’ ‘key/legend’ and ‘orientation’ and ‘specifically assigned colors.’

To enhance the base layer of maps, artist Asher Jay will be overlaying datasets in the form of topographical contour maps that reference real oceanic and terrestrial features such as mountains/islands. Each contour builds on the previous in meaning, and cumulatively each contour map generates a focused story silo of sequential insight.

Mixed media work.
Standing Elephant Sculpture Dimensions

Height: 150 cm
Length: 164 cm
Width: 77 cm
Weight: 55 kgs

Fiberglass elephant sculpture covered in collage materials (maps) silicone, plastic, metal, paints and paste.

Why am I participating in the Parade?

I took part in the Big Egg Hunt and designed a Faberge Egg in 2014 that went on to raise money for boots on the ground in Amboseli after it showcased in the courtyard of Baruch University and at the Rockefeller Plaza. This elephant sculpture I am working on is similarly structured, the proceeds from the auction/sale of this elephant will be donated toward the great work that Elephant Family is doing.

Mixed media work.
Standing Elephant Sculpture Dimensions

Height: 150 cm
Length: 164 cm
Width: 77 cm
Weight: 55 kgs

Fiberglass elephant sculpture covered in collage materials (maps) silicone, plastic, metal, paints and paste.

A final addition of information will be a hand painted by the artist in the form of a custom generated map that will portray a path that has yet to be taken. For this, Jay will be consulting with a cartographer, and will be generating a visual language of her own, with which she intends to illuminate viewers on the many solutions that can be adopted to veer us away from our ‘taker’ paradigm.