One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
All are invited to participate in Bottle to Bottle at Culture Lab LIC on Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 17. (Both days at 4 pm.)
Queens-based artist Annalisa Iadicicco will create an installation from used bottles donated by community members and laundromats. Edjo Wheeler, a local sculptor, will do the welding.
The public is encouraged to contribute recyclable empty detergent bottles or use the provided on-site bottles, embedding them into the structure’s rebar walls.
The result will be a unique house — symbolizing safety and belonging — that invites viewers to reimagine their relationship with plastic and their commitment to shared responsibility.
Earth Breeze, a project sponsor, will offer free samples of eco-friendly laundry detergent sheets on site. Plus, the United Nation’s Waste Wise Cities program has been filming Bottle to Bottle to screen a video about the project to the U.N. General Assembly during Climate Week 2023 (Sept. 17 to Sept. 24.)
“Bottle to Bottle is more than an aesthetic experience; it’s a call to action,” stated Iadicicco, an Italian immigrant who founded The Blue Bus Project in 2016. “Consider each bottle’s journey — a path that leads from refusal to reuse, repurpose and finally recycle. This journey echoes our collective responsibility to minimize waste and prioritize our planet’s well-being.”
On Saturday, the project will unfold at Culture Lab’s parking lot whose address is 5-25 46th Ave. in Long Island City.
Editor’s note: Bottle to Bottle is presented by Flushing Town Hall and Earth Breeze, which will donate products to Queensbridge’s Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement as part of the program. It’s supported by The Blue Bus Project, Waste Wise Cities, Culture Lab, Plaxall, and the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy.
Images: Reiko Yoo Yanagi