PROVINCETOWN, MA — The Center for Coastal Studies and the Cape Cod National Seashore, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program, are pleased to announce that an artist has been selected through a juried review process to design and construct a public marine debris exhibit to be installed in the National Seashore in the summer of 2023.
Cindy Pease Roe, who resides in Greenport, NY, makes annual pilgrimages to the National Seashore and to Cape Cod where her grandfather was a minister at the Congregational Church of South Dennis and where she began her career as an artist.
“Spending summers on the Cape was the starting point for my lifelong partnership with water ecosystems – the source material and catalyst for my art. I view this project as a chance to give back to the Cape a small fraction of what the Cape has given me,” said Roe.
Plastic debris found during shoreline cleanups in the Cape Cod National Seashore, which may include anything from fishing gear, party balloons, rope, lost footwear, toys and to-go containers, will be used by Roe to create the site-specific installation at one of the Park’s main visitor centers.
“Ms. Roe’s personal ties to the park and her background as an artist make her a perfect choice for this art installation,” noted Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent Brian Carlstrom. “We are hopeful that this exhibit will raise awareness and encourage personal behaviors that can reduce and prevent harmful marine debris.”
An educator and marine advocate as well as an artist, Roe founded UpSculpt, a nonprofit charitable organization created to further the education and hands-on solutions surrounding marine debris, plastics and their disposal. Her marine debris artwork has been featured in galleries and permanent installations around the world, including at the Susan Lister Locke Gallery on Nantucket; for the Overseas Chinese Town Group in Shenzen, China; and this summer at the Sandwich Heritage Gardens Museum “Treasured Trash” exhibit. In one unique art + science residency, she traveled to the Hawaiian islands in 2019 with the Schmidt Ocean Institute as their Artist-At-Sea, upcycling waste generated on board the ship into artwork reflecting the expedition’s journey.
Her installation in the Cape Cod National Seashore will support marine debris removal, prevention, outreach, and education undertaken by both sponsoring organizations by reaching new audiences, educating about debris sources in the region, raising awareness about the issue of plastic trash and empowering behavior changes to reduce plastic use.
“The proposals we received for this call were all creative and inspired by marine debris, but Cindy’s track record to inspire and motivate behavioral change, coupled with her accessible and relevant sculptures, made her the ideal artist for this unique installation,” said Laura Ludwig, CCS Marine Debris & Plastics program coordinator.
For more information about the program, please contact Laura Ludwig, Program
Coordinator at Center for Coastal Studies or Aleutia Scott, Supervisory Park Ranger.
