We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alejandro Durán. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alejandro below.
Alejandro, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
“Without question, my most meaningful project has been ‘Washed Up: Transforming a Trashed Landscape,’ which began when I was working in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve on Mexico’s Caribbean coast.
What started as a disturbing discovery—finding international trash washing up on this pristine UNESCO World Heritage site—evolved into an environmental art project that has defined my creative journey for over a decade. I was initially shocked to document plastic debris from 58 nations across six continents polluting these protected shores. Rather than simply documenting this environmental tragedy, I felt compelled to transform it into something that could communicate the gravity of our global plastic crisis.
I began arranging this international debris into color-based, site-specific installations. Sometimes I distribute objects mimicking wave patterns; other times, I arrange plastics to resemble natural elements like algae, roots, or fruit—highlighting how plastics have infiltrated even our most protected ecosystems.
What has made this project particularly meaningful is its evolution from personal discovery to international conversation. ‘Washed Up’ has been exhibited globally—from Japan to Germany, from New York to Mexico—and featured in publications like National Geographic, Time, and Newsweek.
But the real impact happens in that moment when viewers first think ‘oh, that’s beautiful’ and then realize ‘wait, that’s all trash.’ That recognition transforms environmental despair into potential for action. Through community-based art-making and speaking engagements, I’ve been able to use these aesthetically compelling images to spark urgent conversations about consumption and waste. What began with me arranging colorful bottle caps on a beach has grown into a platform for environmental advocacy that connects with people in a way that raw statistics never could. That’s why it matters so much to me—art can reach people where facts alone cannot.”
Alejandro, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Alejandro Durán, an artist who transforms ocean plastic pollution into environmental installations and photography. My path to this work began with an epiphany at age 20 when I realized that life is creation, and the only way forward for me was to become part of that creative force. The question then became what I would create. Over the years, I’ve been a film director, photographer, and educator, but it was discovering my ‘Washed Up’ project that brought together many aspects of my career and interests.
Being of both Mexican and American heritage has significantly shaped my perspective. I split my time between Brooklyn and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, where ‘Washed Up’ began. During time spent in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, I was struck by the international trash washing up on this protected UNESCO site. Rather than just documenting this pollution, I started creating color-coordinated installations using plastic debris from 58 countries across six continents.
What distinguishes my approach is the dedication—some might say obsession—I’ve committed to collecting materials over many years. Many people see my work and assume I’ve painted the trash, but it’s this persistent accumulation that has enabled me to find such a diverse palette of colors and objects. Each piece requires meticulous sorting and arrangement, creating visual tension between beauty and environmental devastation.
What I want people to take from my work isn’t despair but awareness that leads to action. I believe art can communicate environmental urgency in ways that statistics alone cannot. My installations aren’t just about documenting a problem—they’re about transforming our relationship with consumption and waste through a visual experience that’s impossible to ignore.”
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
“My creative journey is driven by a mission to transform environmental awareness into action through art. When I began working in Sian Ka’an and witnessed pristine beaches littered with plastic from across the globe, I realized that environmental issues require more than just documentation—they need translation into a visual language that resonates emotionally.
My goal with ‘Washed Up’ has evolved beyond creating striking images. I’m working to reveal the hidden connections between our everyday consumption choices and their far-reaching environmental impacts. By arranging international debris into installations that mimic natural elements, I’m illustrating how consumer culture has colonized even protected natural spaces, creating what I call ‘a new form of colonization by consumerism.’
What drives me is the fundamental belief that art can wake us from our environmental slumber. Art has this unique power to bypass our intellectual defenses and speak directly to our core—creating awareness that feels visceral rather than academic. When someone experiences my work, they’re not just absorbing information about ocean pollution—they’re confronting a transformed reality that demands reflection.
This thread of creating awareness runs through all my work, including several new projects I’m developing. While the mediums and specific environmental concerns might vary, my mission remains consistent: using aesthetic experience as a catalyst for change. I want my work to disrupt our comfortable narratives about consumption and waste, creating moments of recognition that inspire people to reconsider their relationship with plastic and the natural world. This isn’t just about making environmental art—it’s about using creativity to imagine and inspire more sustainable ways of living.”
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me exists in those moments when I see my work catalyze genuine awareness in others. There’s something profoundly moving about witnessing someone encounter my installations and watching their expression shift from aesthetic appreciation to realization about what they’re actually seeing.
I also find tremendous reward in the connections my work has helped me build—with coastal communities in Mexico, with environmental activists, with students, and with audiences worldwide. Art has opened doors to conversations and collaborations I never imagined when I first started picking up plastic on those beaches.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alejandroduran.com
- Instagram: @alejandroduran
