Mandy Barker

SOUP is a description given to plastic debris suspended in the sea, and with particular reference to the mass accumulation that exists in an area of The North Pacific Ocean known as the Garbage Patch. This book shows the11 series of images which aim to engage with, and stimulate an emotional response in the viewer by combining a contradiction between initial aesthetic attraction and social awareness. The sequence reveals a narrative concerning oceanic plastics from initial attraction and attempted ingestion, to the ultimate death of sea creatures, representing the disturbing statistics that dispersed plastics have no boundaries.

Captions record the plastic 'ingredients' in each image providing the viewer with the realisation and facts of what exists in the sea. The book also shows a selection of sketchbook spreads representing the thought process behind selected images.

All the plastics photographed have been salvaged from beaches around the world and represent a global collection of debris that has existed for varying amounts of time in the world’s oceans.