Earth Poetica: Earth Sculpture Made Out Of Plastic Waste Is Now On Display

Earth Poetica is a project created by Israeli artist Beverly Barkat to attract more attention to the ecological problems humanity is facing nowadays. 

Excessive waste, as well as fossil fuels, have been creating a threat not only to nature but also to our future life on Earth. That has been widely talked about for the last several years, but there is still a lot that needs to be done. 

By introducing her project, Earth Poetica, Beverly Barkat was hoping to attract the attention of more people and show the beauty of our planet, and the importance of taking care of it. 

For three years Beverly Barkat has been collecting plastic litter. She tried to include as many people in the process as possible: first, she asked her friends, and then more and more people started finding out about the project and sending the woman the recyclable waste they had. Soon the artist’s studio was covered in plastic packaging, cans, and bags. All of those she used to create a model of the planet Earth. 

I was very impressed by the project when I first heard of it and decided that I want to see it. And when I did, I instantly fell in love with it. The model of the Earth, taller than me, a 5’6 woman, is fully made out of plastic. On two sides of the globe, some windows let you peer inside and see our Earth from a different angle. 

What made it so beautiful was how sunlight reflected on the plastic. It made everything look real: water, continents, and islands. 

The message is also pretty obvious, which I believe is very important when trying to reach larger audiences of different statuses, ages, and education. When I was there, both old and young people stopped to look at the plastic earth and read about the project. 

The one downside that I think might affect the number of people seeing the sculpture is that it is placed inside an office building. The entrance is free, but it is hard to find it if you don’t know exactly where you are going. 

In conclusion, Earth Poetica is a must-see. If you weren’t passionate about an eco-friendly lifestyle and reducing the waste you produce, this project will make you change your mind! You don’t believe me? Come and see for yourself! 

The sculpture is located at 3 World Trade Center. 

Article and photos by Mary Zakharova