Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders illustrates the scale of Scotland’s electronic waste
with powerful installation
Reindeer, penguins, and polar bears are the sort of animals you would usually expect to see taking pride of place in a retail display at this time of year. However, one Edinburgh shopping centre is adding a little more ‘bite’ to its seasonal offering with the installation of a powerful new sculpture – Betty the e-waste shark!
The work of Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders, Betty is a life-sized basking shark which aims to illustrate the sheer scale of Scotland’s electronic waste problem.
The sculpture was created using a range of second-hand electrical devices including more than 200 keyboards and water cooler panels, all of which have been saved from landfill, plus two projector lenses and TV screens which display a hard-hitting film about the true impact of e-waste.
Previously displayed at the National Museum of Scotland, local sustainability campaigner Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective has successfully secured Betty a residency at Ocean Terminal, and the artwork is available to view now.
Created in response to a call-out from the Edinburgh Science Festival, Jonathan had a clear vision of what he hoped the artwork would achieve. Firstly, it needed to demand attention.
He was determined to craft something that was simply too big to be missed, and instantly recognisable in order to create a reaction. Secondly, it needed to be engaging – something that people would want to touch and interact with.
It was also important that the piece was inclusive and accessible in its entirety to people of any height or level of mobility. Finally, it needed to inform viewers of the immense problem of e-waste faced by Scotland.
Commenting on the piece, Jonathan Elders explains: ‘I chose the basking shark, native to Scotland, as I encountered one as a child whilst on a boat trip to Bass Rock in North Berwick. This moment had a huge impact on me, and it has stayed with me ever since.
‘I didn’t want to be subtle. As a nation, we have so much to be proud of – like these magnificent creatures – but we also have a massive problem that we’re just not doing enough to address. Like producing such vast quantities of e-waste.
‘As the footage shows, much of this waste is shipped away to other parts of the world so that we can forget about it. But that needs to stop.’
When asked about the name, Jonathan said: “Betty is the name of a lovely local lady – a total character who knows everybody. She lives overlooking Newhaven Harbour but won’t go anywhere near it because she is scared of the sea. Hence the reason I called the shark Betty, because like the real-life Betty, this shark will never go to the sea!’
Betty the e-waste shark is available to view now at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh. Guided tours and talks about the artwork are available upon request for schools, clubs, and organisations.
If you are interested in giving Betty the e-waste shark a home after her residency at Ocean Terminal ends, please email info@theleithcollective.com to discuss.