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MAiZE, 2017
Plastic soda bottles, adhesive and vinyl tubing
6 ft h x 80 ft w x 28 ft d
A collaboration with Figge Art Museum and the Quad-City Community
Installation at Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA
Inspired by the vast farmed landscape of the American heartland, Jean Shin created the immersive installation MAiZE in collaboration with 800 community volunteers from Davenport, Iowa. Composed of thousands of repurposed green plastic soft-drink bottles, the artificial “cornstalk” sculptures form an elaborate maze at the Figge Art Museum. In addition to demonstrating the power of artmaking and community collaboration, the project engaged visitors in a dialogue about plastic waste, food choices and environmental stewardship. The majority of plastic in this country is not recycled but instead ends up in landfills, the rivers, the oceans and other natural areas. The sheer mass of plastic in the installation encouraged visitors to consider plastic waste and its detrimental effects on the environment. The empty bottles, once filled with soda containing corn syrup, illustrate the issues of overconsumption and the harmful effects of processed foods on our health.