The 2 meter high work symbolizes the infinite circle of the second hand. The installation is more than an artistic creation: it is a demonstration of art’s ability to raise awareness and open conversation about the environment. He will stay until January in the old monastery of Chamberí, now transformed into one of the campuses of Nebrija University. Any visitor or neighbor can come and see the work which transforms waste into a symbol of rebirth and environmental awareness.
On the occasion of the presentation of the annual report of Milanuncios, “Cierra el Círculo”, which analyzes the environmental impact of second-hand goods, the platform launched its first artistic intervention with the artist Arsenio Rodríguez and his future promises, thus highlighting the ecological footprint in a sculpture created with plastic and reused textile.
The artist from Cádiz, who has been working with recycled materials for more than fifteen years, teamed up with art students from the Nebrija University of Madrid to create a work that highlights the potential of reusable materials.
For the sculptor, who declares himself “pioneer of recycling in art” and declares that since he was a child he felt the desire to reuse discarded objects, this work is a continuation of his commitment to sustainability. “We are fighting for the planet, and if my work can contribute to this awareness, then it is worth it,” he comments sincerely. Arsenio hopes this collaboration will inspire more people to get involved in the recycled art.
Creating art from waste
The process of creating the piece was as meticulous as it was symbolic. In total, Arsenio used 115 plastic bottles and 47 capsall reused. The work is inspired by “flower of paradise”because it is one of the many plants that the artist has in his studio. More specifically, he chose this flower because it is capable of flowering after its death, thus representing the life cycle of nature which, in his words, “is reborn, like the opportunity to give a second life to something which was abandoned. A message that the artist himself wanted to capture in this work, with the circular economy idea and the “Close the Circle” initiative.
In addition, each of the details has its explanation, the installation on the ceiling, and not from the floor, was an intentional decision so that the light was also part of the room and intensifies the atmosphere of the space. The colors of the bottles also had their symbolism, colors like light blue and magenta representing reliability and safety in the case of light blue, and strength in the case of magenta.
For Mónica Escartín and Melina Fernández, students at the University of Nebrija, collaborating on this work was a learning and transformation experience. The young artists were responsible for creating the lower part of the piece, after exploring different materials they decided to use recycled fabric. Continuing Arsenio’s idea of the “flower of paradise”, they wanted to give the different textile modules the shape of seeds. This choice reflects a “visual nod to the life cycle and the circular economy” according to Mónica, for whom fabric represents a resource as polluting as plastic.
The work as a whole symbolizes natural life and the possibility of giving new use to materials normally considered waste. “Each student was responsible for creating a module that represents a seed, and together they form a large structure” explains Mélina. The students share the objective of encouraging visitors to become aware of the circular economy, to understand that, although individually the impact may seem minimal, collectively they can contribute to change.
This work is not just art, it is a call to see what is considered waste and to discover the potential in every piece of reusable plastic or fabric. The message from Arsenio and the students goes beyond the act of recycling. It’s a reflection on the role of art in times of environmental crisis, remembering that change begins with a seed.
