Jar in Action | My Site

Jar in Action
A collaboration between Fusion Art Science and Cognition Art

Jar in Action is an ongoing project undertaking research into perceptions around sustainability, produced by fusionartsci.co.uk.

With engagement at its core the project asks artists, scientists and communities to create artworks, encapsulated within a jar, in response to the question: What does sustainability mean to you? The project has been supported by libraries, schools and arts organisations to reach out to communities and provide new creative opportunities.

This exhibition, Jar in Action presents the artworks produced by this project and invites audiences to meditate on the question and the unique creative responses exhibited.

Please click here for catalogue of all jars submitted

Jar in Action is an ongoing project undertaking research into perceptions around sustainability, produced by Fusion. With engagement at its core the project asks artists, scientists and communities to create artworks, encapsulated within a jar, in response to the question: What does sustainability mean to you?

The project has been supported by libraries, schools and arts organisations to reach out to communities and provide new creative opportunities.

This exhibition, Jar in Action presents the artworks produced by this project and invites audiences to meditate on the question and the unique creative responses exhibited.

Source of artwork (*Jar in Action workshop)

‘Call for jars’ to Biomedical Sciences and Edinburgh College of Art communities at The University of Edinburgh, and others. 1

School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University* 2

Woodburn Primary School* 3

Drumbrae Library* 4

Muirhouse Library* 5

Craigmillar Art Club* 6

Colony of Artists* 7

Craigmillar Library* 8

Best Buddies Edinburgh* 9

The work is listed in this catalogue in the order it was submitted to Fusion from September 2024 to September 2025 using the text and images provided by the artists. Fusion is grateful to the librarians, teachers, and art club leads who ran workshops, our partners, and, of course, everyone who contributed their jars, thank you!

Description 001 – Tom Pratt – transmutation Lead, gold 1

002 – Kerri Foubister – Overconsumption Stones, sellotape

The incessant quest for material goods. Overconsumption contributes significantly to climate change. The extraction of resources and the depletion of natural reserves. Consumer goods generate substantial waste with it usually ending up in landfills or polluting our oceans. The rocks represent the forever changing quick fashion trends of the month, the 17 different products that will change your life that are secret advertisements. The jar barely being able to contain the infiltrating destruction. By redefining societal standards and pressures of success, we can change perceptions surrounding wealth and happiness.

003 – Mike Kerr – Lab Waste – Why?

Glass bottle, assorted plastics We have to safely render a lot of lab waste from classes. In the past we would use ore glass which could be washed, recycled and re-used. There is enough plastic out there without us adding to it.

004 – Ruth Deighton – Tech: no?

Cement, self-adhesive felt pads, cocktail sticks, dish sponge, paint & components from broken toy How effective is technology at helping us sustain the earth’s biosphere? Does it use more resources than it can preserve? Are those in control of it more interested in escaping to other worlds? This jar represents the “Silent Running” outcome: where all that remains of biodiversity is kept in glass domes out in space and scheduled for destruction because it is deemed economically unnecessary. Tech is helping trees survive in a sealed environment, but its misuse is also responsible for exiling them there.

005 – Linda Collins – Thanks!

Medicine packaging (mixed plastics) and foil United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 is: Ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. The packaging in this jar represents the medicines that sustain our healthy life & wellbeing. Billions of people rely on Biomedical Sciences for the understanding and treatment of health conditions and diseases. For ensuring that we can live healthy lives and maintain our wellbeing – thanks biomedical sciences!

006 – Mateo Rodriguez Gentile – Using Plastic to Forget

Lids of used pens, paper from a lab report We used so much plastic/paper to learn in university – which, on most times, teaches us valuable skills and knowledge. But on other times, as most people, we end up forgetting – but the “waste” produced remans, always.

007 – Robbie Millar – Energy Debt

Jar, instant coffee, tea bags, pencil. We frequently reach for quick ‘energy’ sources to complete present tasks. However, this behaviour is rarely sustainable and something will eventually give. The stimulants in the jar represent these quick fixes and the pencil shows the consequences.

008 – Emma Lawson – Nature

Wood, cork, plastic Trying to sustain wood and plastic.

009 – Emma Warner – Mesh

Ribbon, tin foil, wire, rope Climate Change and increase in wastage causes more fish to become trapped in nets and rubbish in the ocean.

010 – Andrew Robertson – Heart of the Forrest

Rubber ball, bamboo, wooden acorns, fake flower, sticks, fake leaf. Explores all the natural resources from the forests that are being lost to deforestation and climate change.

011 – Saara Archer – Fatal Famine

Dried grains, dried natural materials eg stick, leaves, etc. This shows how unsustainable farming will be fatal and negatively impact our food security.

012– Olivia Woods – Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Paper bag, ribbon, bouncy ball, tinsel, string, tin foil, tea cake wrapper, paper. Explores the impacts of plastic pollution, entanglement and ghostfishing on the environment.

013– Amy Johnson – Travel Together

Lego, bubble wrap, ribbon More sustainable ways to travel instead of travelling by cars.

014– Ruby Kant – Trapped in the Sea

Mesh, rope, shells The depiction of the unsustainable waste in the oceans

015 – Berfin Atici – Electrical

Wires, mesh, plug Mesh was used as an electrical wall and sustaining electricity.

016 – Lawrence Mills – Tangled

Rope, wire, barley, cork Looks like a plant growing on a beach.

017 - Tom Pratt - King coal

Coal, alcohol Lump of coal preserved in alcohol, the old king looking into the heart of light the silence.

018 - David McCandless – Engulf

Polaroid, Black Paint. Slowly we engulf our world into darkness, fading away. We are all contained in the same jar.

019- David McCandless – Contract

Chain, Paper, Paint, Needles. Our contract hangs before our eyes

020 - Ewan Robertson - Missing Episode

Fabrication detritus, oil, vaseline, partial vacuum, mild steel Macro scale scenareos can be analogues for wider systems, structures, environments or ecologies

021 - Ewan Robertson - The Death of Samson

Crumpled page from found book of biblical illustrations (Danish) There is a quiet power in objects that speak Crumpling this illustration is complicated Allegory folds in on itself The jar, the image and tha act of crumpling all imprison Samson's moment of downfall, freeze it further in time

God stops talking to Man (again)

022 - Ewan Robertson - Submerged object

Cast iron object, oil A two material system in symbyosis that will last longer than most other two material systems

023 - Jane Hyslop - a forest

acorns and printed paper 'The Oak Tree: a tribute to eternity' is my recent project which examines human and natural histories across the centuries and how they entwine. It is inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel 'Orlando, A Biography' and covers a timespan of almost 700 years. The oak tree bears witness across the centuries and offers hope, in the face of climate change and declining biodiversity, that nature will prevail and despite human impact the world and its natural order can be sustained.

024 - James Harvey - Idea ashes

Paper ash Inside are i kept hoarding for projects until i decided to write them all down and clear out space in my head, and burn them so i am not holding onto them for ever now. I now mix the ashes into my paint so they can complete the cycle

025 - Tom Pratt - Self reflection

Distressed glass, salt bath. The process of thinking critically about one's own thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and experiences. It involves observing and evaluating oneself to gain a deeper understanding of motivations, values, and patterns of thinking and acting, according to ChatGPT, reflecting.

026 - Zoe Smillie - JAR OF CHILDHOOD

Tape, Mixed media. THROUGH CAPTURING SMALL PIECES OF MY CHILHOOD SELF IN THIS JAR, I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AS RECYCLING MY OLD FAVOURITE THINGS. CRAYONS, BOBBLES, GLITTER AND SWEETIES. OBJECTS THAT REMIND ME OF THE JOY OF BEING A KID AND ALLOW ME TO FIND LITTLE PARTS OF SMALL ME, THAT SURROUND ME IN MY HOME. PRODUCING A GLIMMERING, PINK TIME CAPSULE FOR MY INNER CHILD.

027 - Tammy Gilchrist - Party bag graveyard

Leftover plastic toys from party bags How it is impossible to avoid plastic waste even when you try

028 - Aneta Luczak - Research Technician

Plastic, wood, chip, air. My jar represents a choice: plastic that won’t degrade, wood taken from nature, tech discarded for the next upgrade. These are the materials of our convenience, sealed inside the air our descendants may inherit if we continue down this path. This jar is a reminder that sustainability isn’t optional - it’s essential.

029 - Louise Dunn - Recycle, upcycle save resources

Wood, wire. I am great believer in make do and mend. Use items you already have and repurpose

030 - Tom Pratt – Unknown Nothing

A collection of empty jars in remembrance of those that never made it.

031 - Robin Hill - Frequent Flyer No More

Card, plastic, metal, cash. Remnants of my wanderlust past. Now expired, cut up and valueless. Air miles just earn kilograms of CO2.

032 - Joan Smith - Take Care of the Pennies

collected small change, transfers

Take care of the pennies…

… and the pounds will take care of themselves

If we all take simple individual actions and these are repeated by other people, we can create significant change.

Pick up a piece of litter.

Walk, don’t drive, to the shop.

Speak to a stranger.

Mony a mickle macks a muckle.

033 – Jess – A National Institution

Half a TV licence letter. The BBC felt immortal for most of my life, however since moving out on my own, I've received near monthly letters threatening me with legal action if I don't get a TV licence, despite not watching live TV or using iPlayer. When a licence fee is significantly more expensive than any streaming service and letters presuming guilt are sent out to people rather than giving any reason to use the services a TV licence provides, it's hard to see how this model will continue to be sustainable in a world of streaming services and video hosting platforms like YouTube.

034 – Celine – Slow fashion

Fabric, thread, buttons. Slow fashion encourages people to consider how their clothes are being produced. It advocates for a more ethical and sustainable approach to clothes production. It challenges the fast fashion industry too harmful to the environment.

Jar in Action A collaboration between Fusion Art Science and Cognition Art

Jar in Action
A collaboration between Fusion Art Science and Cognition Art