With the increasing plastic waste around the world, Buthelezi is using his work to raise awareness and combat this issue.
While most artists use watercolors or oil paints to create impressive artworks, South African artist Mbongeni Buthelezi employs a completely different medium: plastic waste. His creations are beautiful paintings that convey a message of environmental protection.
The materials for Buthelezi’s paintings come from plastic waste that he collects from local landfills and streets in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Buthelezi states: “Animals are dying, and fish in the ocean are severely threatened. This is due to these materials and also because of humans. We need to take responsibility.”
Self-portrait of Buthelezi.
As an artist and social activist, Buthelezi (56 years old) has expressed his creative talent since he was a boy in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
He crafted small clay sculptures of livestock found around his village, such as cows, horses, and goats.
Buthelezi reflects: “I grew up with my father’s animals. Livestock is an important part of my life. But not everything in this rural landscape is natural.”
He explains that plastic waste is rampant in grazing areas, to the extent that cows sometimes chew on trash. Buthelezi adds: “Occasionally, we witness cows dying from ingesting plastic.”
A plastic painting titled “Nobuhle” (Queen of Beauty).
Five decades later, South Africa still faces serious plastic pollution issues. In 2018, 107,000 tons of plastic waste from South Africa entered the marine environment. A 2015 study indicated that the country is one of the top 20 contributors to marine plastic pollution.
With plastic waste increasing globally, Buthelezi is using his work to draw attention to and combat this problem.
A painting titled “Street Soccer”.
A painting named “The Girl”.
“Tebogo and Friends”.
Most of Buthelezi’s plastic paintings are inspired by life or beautiful childhood memories. A painting titled: “Soweto Landscape 1”.
The painting “Construction Site” created from plastic waste.
Buthelezi has developed his own method of melting plastic waste using a heat gun and spraying it onto a thick canvas to create his paintings.
He wants to show the world that art can benefit our green planet.
Through his works, he hopes to contribute to reducing plastic waste in South Africa and show others how they can do the same.
An untitled painting by Buthelezi.
The painting “Soweto Landscape 2” depicts a living area filled with plastic waste.
