Joshua Jensen-Nagle and Alex Ewen | Contemporary Consciousness

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Alex Ewen, "Shot gun Shell Ramen," 2019-2022

Sun damaged microplastics, Styrofoam, multi-coloured fish line, fish nets, washed-up black rubber, balloons, shotgun shells, various ropes, cigarillo tip, pop lids, wrappers, and other assorted weather materials. Collection of the artist

Contemporary Consciousness features the work of two artists who explore our oceans in contrasting ways. Calgary artist Joshua Jensen-Nagle’s beautiful photographic images impart scenes of beauty, calm, and restfulness.  One may contemplate human’s predisposition to the enjoyment of our oceans based on reflections of personal experience. Contrarily, one may question the popularity and consequential remains from a day of overpopulation and waste in our ocean and on its shores. 

Strewn to shore from the Pacific Ocean, bits of Styrofoam, plastic, rubber, and metal were washed onto the beaches at Tofino, B. C. Participating as a volunteer for the community cleanup project, trans-global artist Alexandra Ewen was struck by the magnitude of damage and consequential debris. It was clear the shore wash was microscopic in comparison to the quantity remaining afloat or beneath the ocean surface. With resourcefulness and compassion, Alexandra connected the oceanic resources with the culinary creativity of Japanese culture by reconstructing the garbage into exquisitely formed sushi meals, edible in scale and served to order.