Aly de Groot

SPOON-FED
$4,440

A terrifying truth hangs in the air: by 2050, a shocking 99% of seabirds are predicted by scientists to have ingested plastic waste. Mistaking plastic marine debris as food, countless birds across the world endure agonising injuries and death.

Crafted from marine debris including ghost nets, fishing line and plastic spoons, the bird family in this artwork confronts us with the stark contrast between our actions and their consequences. Discarded fishing line, woven into the bodies of the birds, becomes a tangible representation of the danger lurking beneath the waves. Tiny heads, fashioned from single-use takeout spoons, mirror our disposable culture – mass-produced convenience echoing the tragic burden our oceans carry.

The image of a bird feeding plastic scraps to its delicate and vulnerable young isn’t symbolic; it’s a horrifying glimpse into the very real pollution crisis in seas across our planet. It forces us to confront the consequences of our choices, leaving an image burned into our minds. This artwork compels us to challenge our reliance on single-use plastics. Did you know that the majority of plastic straws, bags, or water bottles that enter landfill will inevitably reach the sea, fueling this crisis?

We are being spoon fed the illusion that we can thanklessly and thoughtlessly consume and discard the finite resources from our planet without consequence. The future of our oceans and sea-life rests in our hands (and mouths).

Marine debris, including plastic spoons, ghost net and fishing-line
80 x 85 x 30cm

Artist Statement: Multi-disciplinary artist Aly de Groot draws inspiration from her love for the landscapes, communities, and wildlife of tropical Northern Australia. Her practice encompasses textiles, sculpture, and cyanotype print-making, reaching diverse audiences through exhibitions, workshops, installations, and public sculptures. Her work is inspired by her deep empathy for marine life and ecosystems, and the environmental challenges faced today.

A graduate of Charles Darwin University with a PhD from the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, she is currently the Lecturer in Sculptural Design and Indigenous Australian Art at CDU. Her contribution to the arts industry was recently recognised with a CDU Alumni Industry Excellence Award.

De Groot’s work has been celebrated nationally with numerous awards including the Waterhouse Natural Sciences Prize and The Toga Art Prize.

Created in collaboration with Larrakia Elder, Dr Aunty Bilawarra Lee, in 2016, De Groot has contributed three large-scale, bronze public artworks located in idyllic coastal places on Larrakia Country in her hometown of Garramilla-Darwin.

As a recent Churchill Fellowship recipient, de Groot traveled across Europe and the UK to learn about endangered basketry techniques from her ancestral lands .

During her travels she had a surprising win at the 5th International Wicker and Weaving Festival in Poznan, Poland, where she triumphed in the man-made fibres category in the live weaving competition.