What happens when beach trash becomes breathtaking art? This summer, visitors to The Nat will find out in Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, a stunning exhibition that transforms ocean debris into impossible-to-ignore sculptures.
The exhibit features more than 25 marine creatures—each one constructed entirely from plastic waste collected along coastlines. Wander among suspended jellyfish blooms. Walk through an 18-foot whale “rib cage.” Meet Dexter the Dungeness crab, Eli the eel, Annie the anemone, and their companions. All works of art are crafted from ocean debris like plastic bottles and caps, flip flops, sand toys, lighters, nylon rope, and even toothbrushes.
The Museum’s 3,000-square-foot second-floor gallery (currently home to Unshelved: Cool Stuff from Storage, closing mid-April) will be transformed into an immersive marine experience complete with interactive stations for hands-on learning. For special events like Nat at Night, the space will morph into an ocean-themed lounge—the Museum’s very own “dive bar.”
The sculptures bring attention to the estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic currently choking our oceans. Plastics have entered every marine ecosystem in the world, including San Diego’s famed coastlines and waterways home to thousands of diverse species. These sculptures are a powerful reminder of the impact we have on nature locally and globally—and how community art and action can make a difference.
Washed Ashore sculptures have been featured at different locations throughout the country. Based in North Bend, Oregon, the Washed Ashore Project is a non-profit dedicated to educating and creating awareness about marine debris and plastic pollution through art.
Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea is free for members and included with general admission.