Recycle: An old tire, unwanted wood could b a future work of art

With creativity and imagination, you can repurpose discarded items into unique pieces that create a focal point for the home and help the environment

Recycling household and industrial waste and transforming it into works of art is a growing international trend. Glass, plastic, wood, and other waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or floating in the sea can, with creativity and imagination, be repurposed into unique pieces that create a focal point for the home but also help the environment. 

Humans and various industries generate vast amounts of waste; hence, recycling is essential to protecting and preserving our planet. A fast-emerging artistic movement seeks to transform paper, cardboard, wood, glass, plastics, metals, rubber, and other items into works of art. The concept goes beyond the conventional recycling of materials by creating objects that often exceed the original product's economic, cultural, and social value.

This artistic expression is familiar: collages by Pablo Picasso or George Braque were created from old newspapers or magazines at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, several artists and designers are committed to sustainable art. German designer Gerhard Bär has made art from plastic rubbish for over 20 years. Martha Haversham, a multidisciplinary artist from London, creates images and collages from waste related to women's fashion. English artist Michelle Reader makes sculptures with mechanical elements recycled from toys and watches she collects from landfills, roadsides, and second-hand shops. In contrast, Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye uses tires and sculpts figures inspired by nature.  

Amit Jadhav, Head of Fabrication and Automotive Workshops, Dulsco Environment, shares how, tucked away in their Dubai workshop, a dedicated team of upcyclers have transformed old tires, wood, coolant barrels, scrap metal, and car spare parts into 40 unique creations such as furniture, home accents, toolboxes, pet beds, BBQs, and games. He contributes an exclusive piece on how recycled art has become a significant movement within contemporary art, driven by growing environmental consciousness and a desire to address the global waste crisis.

At Dulsco Environment, we proudly create a broad and diverse range of recycled products for our New Old and Reloved (NOR) online market.  NOR is one of Dulsco Environment's many initiatives to innovate and educate on how we can all do our bit for the environment.

Of course, one doesn't need to be an artist, engineer, or inventor to do the basics of recycling art. Old picture frames can be used again or put in the recycling bin rather than thrown away, while unwanted paper and drawings within the frames can be used for notepads.  

It's straightforward to throw things away without a second thought. However, most of the waste we generate can be reused or repurposed. These days, most residential communities and apartment buildings have recycling bins, yet many people simply put all their waste in one bag.  One of the easiest, most effective ways that the public can help is to segregate their waste at source, and use the designated bins provided.