Do you sea?

THE PROJECT

Do you sea? is my latest project, in which I highlight the serious consequences of human actions on the Mediterranean coast. Our beaches are littered with plastic debris, most of which comes from products we use in our daily lives: cosmetics and toiletries.

These materials end up in what is perhaps the biggest landfill of our time: the sea. The main causes of this dramatic situation are both our incorrect waste management and overcrowded tourism, which every year increases marine litter on the Mediterranean coast by 40%.

27 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced annually in Europe, of which only one third is recycled. Today, plastic, of all types and colors, accounts for 95% of the waste floating in the Mediterranean Sea and ending up on its beaches. Recycled plastics represent only 6% of all plastics consumed in Europe.

The ecosystem is the main affected by this phenomenon, as this material is aggressively introduced into the food chain of living beings and poses a serious threat to marine species and human health. Several studies have confirmed that we ingest plastic through the consumption of products from the sea.

Through this Verkami I want to make Do you sea? become a photobook that brings, from art, a critical look at our relationship with the territory, consumption, and its consequences.

THE PROCESS

This project is the result of a work of collecting plastics and microplastics on the shore and taking pictures during long walks on the beaches of the Valencian coast.

Through the superimposition of these materials on the photographs I took, it's how it comes to life. The result of this process is a series of direct and explicit images altered by the presence of plastic detritus eroded by the sea. Images that have the strength of changing our perception of the landscape, questioning our relationship with consumption, and our interaction with the natural environment.

If you are curious to see more you can visit my web site.

THE PATH

Do you sea? started in 2020 and after two years of work it has been shown in different exhibitions, screenings, and catalogs. After being promoted by the artistic residency "Conet photo res" from the Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana, it began a tour through different exhibitions. It took part in the group exhibition Italia90 in Condominio (Milan) where an extensive publication was edited for the occasion in collaboration with the publishing company Skinnerboox. It has also been part of the biennial photography exhibition Fotonoviembre 2021 in Tenerife and in the MostraTEST 2022, for which it has been published a personal catalog entitled "(HOW) DO YOU SEA?" about its creative process. It has been awarded by the call "CMCV a Casa" of the museum CCCC of Valencia and later exhibited in an audiovisual format in a collective exhibition entitled “CulturaOnline".

WHAT I WILL USE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR

The money raised will be used to cover the production costs of the photobook (for an edition of 500 copies), including editorial design and printing, and to cover the cost of the rewards and shipping.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

size: 17cm x 24cm; pages: 56 + covers; binding: sewn with exposed spine; inside paper: glossy 170 gr; cover paper: glossy 300 gr; photographs: Selen Botto; design: Adrián Beltrán + Mati Martí; text: Jorge Alamar; translations: Luis Donaire Santiago + Selen Botto

REWARDS

To make possible the production of this photobook you have several rewards designed for this campaign to choose from.

1. BOOK Do you sea?

A copy of the book.

IMPORTANT: this reward includes shipping charges to Spain. If you want the package delivered outside of Spain, you must also purchase the €4 voucher intended to pay for international shipping.

2. BOOK Do you sea? + tote bag

A copy of the book and a tote bag (100% cotton; 38cm x 41cm; 10 L capacity).

IMPORTANT: this reward includes shipping charges to Spain. If you want the package delivered outside of Spain, you must also purchase the €4 voucher intended to pay for international shipping.

3. BOOK Do you sea? + 1 print in A4 in limited edition

A copy of the book plus an A4 signed print in limited edition, at a special price for this campaign, to choose between the two proposed options.

IMPORTANT: this reward includes shipping charges to Spain. If you want the package delivered outside of Spain, you must also purchase the €4 voucher intended to pay for international shipping.

4. BOOK Do you sea? + 1 print in A3 in limited edition

A copy of the book plus an A3 signed print in limited edition, at a special price for this campaign, to choose between the two proposed options.

IMPORTANT: this reward includes shipping charges to Spain. If you want the package delivered outside of Spain, you must also purchase the €4 voucher intended to pay for international shipping.

5. BOOK Do you sea? + 1 print in A3 in limited edition + tote bag

A copy of the book plus an A3 signed print in limited edition, at a special price for this campaign, to choose between the two proposed options and a tote bag (100% cotton; 38cm x 41cm; 10 L capacity).

This reward includes shipping charges to Spain or outside Spain.

6. Pack of 5 BOOKS Do you sea?

If you are a bookstore, school, association or organization committed to protecting the environment, this is the pack for you. In it you will find 5 copies of the book at a reduced price.

This reward includes shipping charges to Spain or outside Spain.

7. Summer Pack BOOK Do you sea? + 1 print in A4 in limited edition + tote bag + 1 beach towel

A copy of the book; an A4 signed print in limited edition, at a special price for this campaign, to choose between the two proposed options; a tote bag (100% cotton; 38cm x 41cm; 10 L capacity); a beach towel (to choose between the two), in limited edition at a special price, to enjoy the summer or to hang it in your home as a work of art as it is.

This reward includes shipping charges to Spain or outside Spain.

*Thank you for getting it this far! I hope that this project has awakened your attention

enough to encourage you to support this campaign and make this book possible :)*