I am faced with a moral dilemma: glitter, my material of choice, is ethically (and environmentally) unsustainable.
I love glitter but have become increasingly aware that it is at odds with my commitment to recycling, my preference for organic food, my using environmentally friendly cleaning products, my sourcing as much as possible from charity and second-hand shops. Glitter has been my guilty pleasure.
Now though I wonder if I can continue using the wonderfully sparkly pvc glitter jewels that feature in so much or my recent work. While I enjoy the discussions provoked by various interpretations of my installations and sculptures – indeed the interactions between me, my materials, and the audience are the artwork – I do not want actively damaging the environmental to be part of the conversation.
A little research has shown that while the current bio-glitter is perfect for cosmetics and even baking it fails to replicate traditional glitter’s visual allure and qualities that are essential to what I do with it.
It seems my glittery days are numbered …
