Dreaming Gyre
Mariel Zook
About the piece: Everyday discarded items that end up in our oceans are carried by currents to converge in garbage patches. Man-made materials recombine into new structures, swirling together into reefs of trash and galaxies of microplastics. These accumulations of waste are known as “gyres.” Within them, a unique phenomenon takes shape, the “plastisphere” – a human-made ecosystem consisting of organisms able to live on plastic waste. The natural and the artificial enter a symbiotic dance and begin to dream a new future. Plastic bottles become a reef-cathedral, filtering sun rays through a tinted canopy providing habitat for coastal creatures in need of respite. As the dyed-liquid filled bottles of Dreaming Gyre sway in the breeze and glow with chromatic light – evoking the pulsing patterns of a dreaming cuttlefish – they mimic the movement of the ocean and its inhabitants, bringing the natural and man-made in full circle. Dreaming Gyre draws attention to the rapid accumulation and environmental impact of waste, and reminds us of the beauty that can be created from our cast away objects. It re-imagines this convergence of trash, light, color and ambient movement, into an immersive experience, a space of beauty, tranquility, imagination and possibility. Designed to evoke a dreamlike, meditative state, it creates a sanctuary from the chaos of everyday life, a delightful invitation to relax, contemplate, and reflect on the collective unconscious and our shared planet.
About the artist: Mariel is a multimedia and installation artist with a background in fashion and scenic design. Recycled and discarded materials, such as plastic and cardboard packaging, are among her favorite mediums. In addition to creating her own art, which focuses on otherworldly creatures and environments, she has worked on numerous collaborative art projects with a variety of collectives and groups.
Most recently, Mariel collaborated with ArtistSpark and Shandy & Showers on Phase 1 of Dreaming Gyre, exhibited at Love Burn 2026, an art and music festival in Miami, Florida. Other recent projects include Human Charging Station, created in collaboration with Tania Corporan and exhibited at Love Burn 2025 and the ChaShaMa Gala 2025; Unleashed: Disco Dog, created in collaboration with Maria Gorodnitsky for Burning Man 2025; and various scenic art pieces and installations for Kostume Kult, an NYC-based art collective, exhibited at Love Burn 2022, Burning Man 2022, and the collective’s NYC fundraising events.
Her work also includes scenic design and installation projects for Josana Blue, a local NYC artist, and DesignTube, an immersive brand activation agency. Mariel has additionally participated in large-scale participatory art and street theater events organized by groups and collectives including Shadow Traffic NYC, Processional Arts, the People’s Puppets of OWS, and Human Assisted Art.