Using 90,000 plastic bottles, he created a clothing line. And now this artist has been awarded $625,000 through the MacArthur "genius" grant.
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CreativityTranscript
00:00I think what art can provide is an option that has not been considered before, and I
00:13think that's important.
00:23When I went to Flint, the people questioned me there, like, what kind of project do you
00:28have in mind, because how are you going to use us now?
00:31And I'm glad they asked that, and they challenged me, and I said, well, you know, I'll pay you
00:35to fill this tractor-trailer full of plastic bottles, and then I'm going to take them down
00:40to a company that transforms it into cloth, and I'll take it to the fashion designer,
00:45and she will design rainwear and swimwear patterns out of that.
00:48And now they're sewing Tracy Reese designs in Flint.
00:51I do feel that art is more a catalytic structure that provides an option that did not happen
00:58yet.
01:09It is a surreal experience invented to connect us with our reality.
01:15It is not about convincing you to believe in climate change or not believe in climate
01:21change.
01:23It is there to provoke a question like, how will you rise?
01:27And that is the most important contribution I think we all can make.
01:43It's not just about my art.
01:45Perhaps the project can be tailored to educate policymakers and encourage even an act of
01:51Congress to come about to relieve the problem, because maybe an art project is not enough.
01:57I've been identified as being a socially engaged artist.
02:00I'm moved, as I say, not inspired, but compelled by conditions that I feel I can contribute
02:06something to transform the situation.