Sugar, AKA “Mama Shug,” a life-sized great white shark made with marine debris by artist Cindy Pease Roe, was installed at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown last spring. Now another “bite-sized” white shark sculpture, “Baby Shug,” also by Roe, will be installed at the National Seashore’s Salt Pond Visitor Center to point visitors to the larger “Mama Shug.”
Both sculptures were made from marine debris collected on beaches in the National Seashore by the Center for Coastal Studies’ Beach Brigade. The aim of the sculptures and accompanying signage is to draw attention to the problem of marine debris in the ocean and on the beaches of the National Seashore.
An unveiling is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, at 11:30 am at Cape Cod National Seashore Salt Pond Visitor Center, 50 Nauset Road, Eastham.
The artist will be there to meet guests. Representatives from the Cape Cod National Seashore, CARE for the Cape and Islands, Lower Cape TV and the Center for Coastal Studies will also attend the event.
Roe is an artist, educator, and marine advocate who draws inspiration from the sea and combines various media, including ocean plastics, to create her work. She is the founder of UpSculpt, a nonprofit organization addressing plastic pollution.
Her official bio describes her approach: “Through weaving or welding techniques, Cindy merges discarded plastic, derelict fishing gear, mylar balloons, rope, and marine upholstery, transforming them into organic figures or abstract assemblages. Upon closer inspection, viewers discover the waste items that compose her sculptural works. By juxtaposing natural forms with 100% unnatural materials, her artwork aims to evoke curiosity and confront the massive human refuse washing up on shores worldwide.”
The project is funded by CARE for the Cape and Islands. Additional support comes from the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Center for Coastal Studies.
“CARE is pleased to have provided the funding for and is excited for the unveiling of this whimsical sculpture that brings further awareness to the issues of plastic pollution in a lighthearted way,” said Jill Talladay, Executive Director of CARE for the Cape & Islands.
