Plastic insects: from waste to new nature

At Next Nature, we believe that technology and nature are becoming increasingly intertwined. Henk Loorbach brings this vision to life by transforming plastic waste, collected from beaches in Greece and Amsterdam, into 275 unique plastic insects. What started as a cleanup effort turned into an art project that challenges us to reflect on the future of our planet, the role of plastic, and the relationship between humans, technology, and nature.

How did you come up with the idea of creating plastic insects?
"It all started on Paralia Sifneiko Beach in Greece, on the island of Antiparos. I was picking up plastic waste simply to clean the beach. At some point, I had collected so much that my girlfriend said, 'You have so much now, do something with it,' haha. That got me thinking. I started tinkering, and the first insects emerged."

When did you realize this was becoming a real art project?
"That moment came when I was sitting in my backyard on a beautiful summer day, observing the insects crawling around. The more I focused, the more details I discovered—a whole microcosm of insects, much like what I saw in plastic waste. The deeper you look, the more you see. That’s when I decided to combine these two worlds. I set a goal of creating 250 plastic insects. To me, something only becomes an art project when you create a lot of it."

What types of plastic do you collect?
"You find all sorts of things: LEGO bricks, bottle caps, the lids of drink cartons... But over time, I became more selective. Each insect had to be unique, so I searched for specific shapes and colors. It’s an intensive process. Once you have the pieces, you need to clean them, remove labels and food residues. Then, you take scissors and a utility knife and start crafting."

Do you see your work as art, activism, or something else?
"I mostly call it accessible art. Everyone understands it immediately—it highlights both the plastic problem and the decline of insect populations. My work makes this very clear. Is it a warning? I’m not sure. It’s more of an observation, but one that I hope makes people think. I don’t explicitly call for action, but I do aim to raise awareness."

What does your work say about the relationship between humans and nature?
"We can’t live without plastic—life would be much harder without it. In healthcare, it’s indispensable—think of implants and medical devices. It’s also essential for food storage and transportation. But we need to think more carefully about the consequences. Microplastics are already in our ecosystems and even in our brains. That’s not something we should accept. It may sound strange, but I’d be fine with having a plastic hip if I ever needed one, but plastic particles in my blood? That’s a step too far. We are inextricably linked to nature, but we must be careful not to pollute that relationship with our own convenience and mass production."

Do you think waste will disappear in the future due to better recycling technologies, or should we focus on new ways to reuse it, like you do?
"What I do is a niche. I’ve recycled one kilogram of plastic, while nearly 50,000 tons of plastic waste are generated every hour. My project doesn’t make a dent. But it does show that we can be more creative with waste. Despite this, I still think it’s a losing battle. Everyone shops online, we repair less, and we prefer to buy new things. You’d think more people are becoming aware of the problem, but in practice, it seems like no one really cares. We live in a consumer society where convenience comes first. There are fantastic recycling initiatives, but I wonder if they’ll be enough to truly solve the problem."

Do you have plans to create other artworks from plastic waste?
"Not animals, but I do have ideas for making robots from larger plastic pieces I’ve collected. But I can’t reveal too much about that yet, haha!"

With his plastic insects, Henk Loorbach presents a visually striking reflection on how waste and nature are increasingly intertwined. His work is not a call to action but an invitation to think: are we capable of solving our waste problem, or will plastic eventually become an inseparable part of our next nature?