STREAM OF WASTE

This installation juxtaposes the natural beauty of a river with the stark reality of plastic pollution, highlighting the disruption and contamination of natural ecosystems caused by human consumption.
The project is based on the concern about plastics ending up in the ocean, which has become a part of life on Earth in the form of microplastics.

Today, in addition to the world’s oceans, microplastics can be found in the air, in our food and in our bodies. In the installation, plastics flow through a constant stream.

High table: In this performance the table becomes a stage where human nature reveals itself—where appetites are masked as diplomacy, and consumption drives policies.

The installation suggests that consumeristic instincts, cloaked in political language, are causing the earth to bleed, decay, and spiral into chaos. Waste, disorder, and environmental collapse aren’t merely consequences—they are built into the system that gathers around such tables.

Performative intervention by Henok Getachew to a kinetic installation “stream of waste” by @henokspace & @tsegaye1836 installed in Lovisa city Museum 2025 video by @sussesusse

Video: @henokspace

Engaging the Loviisa community was a vital aspect of this project. I initiated plastic collection drives in collaboration with schools, kindergartens, senior homes, and local neighborhoods, encouraging participants to gather and contribute their daily plastic waste.

Workshops were organized to transform the collected materials into art, involving the community in a participatory process where members attached the plastic to the conveyor belt within the exhibition space.

These workshops served as a platform for meaningful conversations about sustainability, personal responsibility, and creative approaches to addressing global challenges.

A key component of the residency involved collaborative workshops. I conducted sessions for
students at Loviisas Schools and for local community members at Utopia Klubi.

Participants were invited to bring their plastic waste and creatively attach it to a rotating canvas. These workshops facilitated important discussions on plastic pollution, climate change, and sustainability.

Video: @henokspace

My engagement also included an artist talk at Galerie Theodor with art teacher and artist Helena Björk, as well as participation in press activities prior to the exhibition opening.

During the exhibition Critical view on plastic opening in Loviisa Town Museum the audience actively interacted with the installation to activate it, serving as a reminder of the catastrophic presence of plastic in our oceans and rivers.

@henokspace

I am an Ethiopian artist based in Berlin, experimenting in multimedia art, including installation, performance, painting, and participatory projects. My work frequently addresses themes such as climate change, consumerism, and digital pollution. I believe art acts as a bridge to understanding complex global issues, inspiring action through immersive and interactive experiences.

In 2009, I co-founded Netsa Art Village, a collective for experimental art in Ethiopia. My projects have been exhibited and performed internationally at venues such as Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin Kühlhaus, and Kunsthalle Oslo, alongside participation in residencies and festivals worldwide.

Since 2017, I have been based in Berlin, developing my practice and exploring the intersection of art, technology, and social engagement.