Sculpture from scrap

Bahraini students Jasim Najem, Hasan Alblooshi and Tahir Ismaeel are sending out a strong message about sustainability with their latest creations, which bring alive two of the kingdom’s iconic sites, using recycled materials, coinciding with World Environment Day today, June 5.

The 18-year-old students of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Isa Al Khalifa Technical Secondary Boys School in Isa Town have blown new life into ceramic remnants, a variety of metal pieces, wires, plastic, paper and cardboard to design a sculpture of Al Fateh Grand Mosque in Manama and a mosaic of Sayadi House in Muharraq.

Celebrated annually on June 5, World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has been observed since 1973. This year’s theme focuses on ending plastic pollution globally.

According to the UNEP, the world produces more than 430 million tonnes of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean and, often, working their way into the human food chain.

“We believe in the importance of transforming waste and making it sustainable rather than throwing it away, just like we transformed these scraps into something beautiful and useful to decorate our school with artwork,” Jasim said.

“We sought to apply the technical skills we learned in school, which were compatible with the nature of the materials, such as strong adhesives, cold welding techniques, or simple mechanical bonding to ensure the stability of the parts,” he added.

The students, pursuing Engineering Drawing, explained that their creative work process included material collection and sorting, followed by sketching and planning the 3D designs, which took into account the available materials and their combination.

Later, they assembled and secured the pieces using adhesives and other appropriate techniques, and modified any materials that needed to be cut to fit the design.

Lastly, the final touches were applied, such as polishing surfaces or enhancing certain details to highlight the aesthetics and quality of the work.

Hasan noted that the three agreed to create the models using scraps as they believed in the importance of recycling and environmental conservation. Additionally, they wanted to demonstrate the practical aspects of the engineering concepts and illustrate how they can be applied in real life.

“The use of recycled materials was not a coincidence but reflects our conviction that what some consider as ‘waste’ can become part of an artwork that carries an important message,” Hassan said.

“Recycling and sustainability are not just words we hear in class or read in books. They are concepts we live and engage with practically,” he added.

The dynamic trio has previously participated in numerous school-level recycling projects, which they plan to continue in the future as well.

“We are enthusiastic about taking up similar opportunities moving ahead,” Tahir said.

“These initiatives are not just volunteer activities or passing ideas, but rather a responsibility, and we hope to inspire others to do the same,” he added. 

“Our ambition is to innovate, raise awareness of the culture of recycling, and contribute to building a more sustainable society.”