Collaborative Lamps That Weave Traditional Fibers With PET Plastic Waste

Spanish designer Alvaro Catalán de Ocón started the PET Lamp Project in 2011, collaborating with communities from all over the globe to transform plastic waste into unique and functional works. Over the past five years Catalán de Ocón has worked with artisans in Colombia, Chile, Japan, and Ethiopia to produce the collaborative lamps, most recently working with eight Yolngu weavers from Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The collaboration was prompted by the National Gallery of Victoria Triennial who commissioned the designer to create woven lamps that express the craft traditions and visual languages of weavers from the Australian community. Catalán de Ocón worked with Lynette Birriran, Mary Dhapalany, Judith Djelirr, Joy Gaymula, Melinda Gedjen, Cecile Mopbarrmbrr, and Evonne Munuyngu from the Bula’Bula Arts Centre in Ramingining to produce a series of circular ceiling-mounted lamps. The works combine PET plastic bottles with naturally dyed pandanus fibers, and are inspired by patterns seen in traditional Yolngu mats.

A work from the project, PET Lamp Ramingining: Bukmukgu Guyananhawuy (Every family thinking forward), is currently on view as a part of the National Gallery of Victoria Triennial through April 15, 2018. You can see more of Catalán de Ocón’s past collaborations with artisan weavers on his website