The Plastic Bag as Art: Three case studies on the treatment of clear, flexible plastic sheeting in contemporary art

Abstract

As the world races to ban the plastic bag, its use in art as a reclaimed and repurposed material is still very prominent. Treatment options for clear plastic bags, film and sheeting, primarily composed of various densities of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and ethylene vinyl acetate are not yet codified in the care and conservation of contemporary art materials. Experimental methods are often necessary to achieve conservation goals set by artists, institutions, or the artwork itself. Through the lens of three case studies, both interventive and non-interventive treatment options for different polymer compositions used to make clear plastic bags will be discussed.