Artist Vicky Smith has been working with local people to make a collaborative film using analogue animation techniques and recycled 16mm film.

Thinking about coastal pollution and the prevalence of plastics in the seas and oceans, On Plastics has invited children and young people to help raise awareness of our collective responsibilities for decreasing plastic waste.

Inspired by Smith’s own artwork, mark-making on celluloid with her feet, spit and bicycle tyres, participants at workshops across the city have been learning how to scratch into fogged negative and stain or draw onto clear film. For most of the children and young adults taking part, this project has been their first encounter with analogue film making and 16mm projection.

Collaborators for On Plastics have included families at Victorious Festival; Court Lane Junior Academy in Cosham; The Harbour School; and Ada, Mason and Reece with Holly White from Creative Advances.

On Plastics was commissioned by Aspex Portsmouth with support from Victorious Festival and in partnership with Portsmouth Cultural Education Partnership and Artswork. Image courtesy Aspex Portsmouth.

Artist Bio:

Vicky Smith is an artist, filmmaker and academic who has worked in experimental animation and 16mm film for 30 years, and has screened work internationally in galleries and at festivals. She was part of the London Film Makers Co-op, has a PhD in experimental film, is co-founder of artist collective Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF) and lectures at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham.