Artists create garbage costumes to highlight Senegal’s pollution problem

Sep 21, 2015 by Bharat Bhushan in Art

Senegal’s pollution problem is one of the fieriest in West Africa. Its air quality is deteriorating at one of fastest pace in the world, and the streets and beaches are being fed heaps of plastic and non-biodegradable waste on a daily basis. To create awareness against the issues, photographer Fabrice Monteiro joined forces with Doulsy (Jah Gal) – Senegal’s own fashion and costume designer, to depict the deteriorating state of Senegalese landscape though theatrical costumes made from garbage.

The campaign supported by Ecofund organization is called the “The Prophecy,” and it is focused on environmental devastation of Senegal.

The Prophecy campaign, shot at ten different polluted locations in Senegal, features models dressed in garments made from trash collected from the sites.

Monteiro photographed each of these surreal characters at a particular site from where its materials were sourced. Every image you’ll see below shows the state in which each location and surroundings are –

Shot in Dakar’s (capital of Senegal) Hann Bay. The picture below depicts how once West Africa’s most beautiful beaches, this has been ruthlessly poisoned by excess blood from a nearby slaughterhouse flowing into the sea.

Against the bushfires and tree felling, artists have created this female figure, with costume that represents a tree. It stands in middle of a bush fire holding up foliage in one hand to protect it from fire.