Discarded to Art-Maximised: Mitigating Dangers of Environmental Degradation

The danger of the illicit disposal of automotive oil filter waste to the environment, as is the case with most countries in Africa, is of utmost concern. This waste product, among other things, makes the land barren and the practice of disposing of this waste poorly is on the rise. Multiple efforts towards the management of said waste has been made, however, it needs to be directed to turn oil filter waste alternative means of artistic expression in form of upcycling. This article contributes to the mitigation strategies focused on decreasing environmental pollution through the upcycling of old automotive-based engine oil filters by transforming it into something of artistic relevance to the society. A studio-based approach of artistic research has been adopted for this article. This involved placing dedicated containers at mechanic’s workshops for the proper collection of the materials for studio use, banking on the physical appearance of the waste material, in terms of morphology and texture, to be able to be used in the installation of the artwork. Analyses in terms of physical appearance and meaning were carried out. By implication, the oil filter artwork in this study is a critique of humans’ attitude towards the illicit disposal of waste and government’s irresponsibility towards the environment.