The idea behind Cohabitation stemmed from my interest in the non-erosive nature of plastic and how it inevitably embeds itself within natural materials. I first photographed plastic bags in a typology of progressively destroyed single-use shopping bags back in 2009. The orange hues of the ripped bags immediately resembled hanging carcasses. Intrigued by their versatile qualities, I returned to this subject matter in 2018 to create assembled bag compositions suspended against a stark black background. The bags I digitally combined possessed strange, lifelike qualities, and these images subsequently formed a chapter of my Lifeforms project in 2024. There is something so transitory and ethereal about plastic bags that it is no wonder I returned to making art from them once again. Using a selection of images from the 2009 bag typology as a starting point, I began experimenting with inverting and layering the photographs to abstract their origins and enhance their textural qualities. The results were visceral forms that hinted at the internal structures of living organisms. I realised then that my exploration of plastic bags had another chapter to unfold—something more layered and nuanced. From there, I began experimenting with images of tree branches and roots, combining them with layered, inverted close-ups of bags. The two immediately fused together to form complex organic masses. It was at this juncture that I decided to experiment with whole forms suspended within a flat black environment, which felt like a natural progression, as the images were originally shot on white backgrounds before being desaturated and inverted. Rather than using a lightbox, I photographed new bags pinned to a skylight and illuminated by a bright white sky. The bags were subsequently photographed at different stages of decay. I chose water, wood, leaves, fire, and clouds to interact with the bags. All images were drawn from my own photographic archive. The water droplets were captured using a macro lens; the sea images were photographed over the side of a ferry; the deforested trees and individual branches were documented separately; and the cloud images came from a typology I created in 2011. The decaying leaves were photographed on a lightbox, while the images of fire originated from a shoot during a fire festival in 2012. After constructing compositions for all the natural elements, I decided to design two full-frame, close-ups for each material to create a more immersive experience. Many of the bag constructions resemble organs—some even appear heart-like. This was not my original intention, but upon reflection I embraced it, partly because I was experiencing health issues at the time, and these concerns seem to have manifested themselves through my art. While the plastic crisis is an international disaster, I was also documenting a personal struggle through these compositions. I believe there is no definitive code for what is or is not beautiful. These images do not attempt to represent either. They are manifestations of their constituent parts and are intended to remain open to individual interpretation. I hope that Cohabitation represents a regrettable relationship with single-use plastic rather than a continuing trend for years to come. Plastic is a man-made substance, not an inevitable future.
