NGV Triennial 2020 installation view of Porky Hefer’s <em>Plastocene – Marine Mutants from a Disposable World</em> series 2020, Commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Proposed acquisition with funds donated by Barry Janes and Paul Cross, Neville and Diana Bertalli, 2020<br/>
© Porky Hefer. Photo: Tom Ross

Plastocene – Marine Mutants from a Disposable World, 2020, presents imaginary sea creatures from a dystopian future which designer Porky Hefer calls the Plastocene. Marking the end of the current fossil-fuelled epoch, the Anthropocene, here the cigarette butts, cotton buds, straws, coffee cups, fishing nets and other discarded detritus of humans’ hyper-consumerist lifestyles and environmental neglect have transmutated into a new type of life. In a twist of evolutionary fate, Hefer imagines what would happen if refined hydrocarbon distillates from fossil fuels fused with organic DNA to generate new forms. While humans would struggle to inhabit this toxic future, Hefer hopes that life would still continue through these new life forms following the mass extinction that he sees as being selfishly perpetuated in contemporary society. Plastocene – Marine Mutants from a Disposable World has been handmade with a community of artisans in and around Cape Town, South Africa.

NGV Triennial 2020 Playlist

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An interview with Jeff Koons In conversation with NGV Director Mindfulness in Taekwondo Asia Society X NGV Triennial conversations | Dhambit Munuŋgurr In conversation with Myles Russell-Cook Salon et Lumière | A Telstra Creativity and Innovation Series presentation NGV Triennial | JR’s Homily to Country NGV Triennial | Introducing Homily to Country Presented by Ewan McEoin Triennial conversations | JR / Rivers in decline Badger Bates, Gabrielle Chan, Rachel Strachan and Alan Whyte in conversation with Ewan McEoin Triennial conversations | Revising narratives Claire G. Coleman, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Timothy Moore and Scotty So in conversation with Pip Wallis Triennial conversations | Resonant nature Refik Anadol and Dr Tessa Laird in conversation with Simone LeAmon Triennial conversations | Nature as collaborator Talin Hazbar, Elliot Bastianon, Geoff Nees and Hannah Presley in conversation with Myf Doughty Triennial conversations | Oceans on the edge Professor Madeleine van Oppen, Pirjo Haikola and Alex Goad in conversation with Ewan McEoin Triennial conversations | Get real estate Jill Garner, Amy Muir and Michael Bleby in conversation with Ewan McEoin Triennial conversations | Future First Nations Megan Cope, Angela Tiatia and Hannah Presley in conversation with Myles Russell-Cook Triennial conversations | A Dark Horizon Dr. Edward Colless and Professor Larissa Hjorthin in conversation with Dr. Simon Maidment Triennial conversations | House Of Heroines Lara Schnitger in conversation with Pip Wallis Triennial conversations | Quantum memories Refik Anadol in conversation with Simone LeAmon Triennial conversations | Downtime Faye Toogood in conversation with Simone LeAmon Triennial conversations | Crystalline Erez Nevi Pana in conversation with Ewan McEoin Triennial profile | Glenda Nicholls Triennial profile | Diamond Stingily Triennial profile | Liam Young Triennial profile | JR Interview with William Badger Bates Triennial profile | Refik Anadol Triennial profile | Tomoaki Suzuki Triennial profile | Faye Toogood Triennial profile | Alicja Kwade Triennial profile | Fred Wilson Triennial profile | Porky Hefer Triennial profile | Kengo Kuma Installing JR’s Homily to Country NGV Triennial 2020 Preparing for NGV Triennial 2020 Celebrating contemporary art, design and architecture Bringing NGV Triennial 2020 to life Celebrating contemporary art, design and architecture