See more objects with the tag political poster, plastic, ocean, pollution.

Object Timeline

  • We acquired this object.

2017

  • Work on this object began.

2019

2025

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Plasticeberg

It was designed by Jorge Gamboa. It is dated 2017. Its medium is poster. It is a part of the department.

An iceberg glistening in the sun reveals itself to be a discarded plastic bag floating just below the ocean’s surface. This metaphorical image has resonated across communities and has been reproduced around the globe. Transcending linguistic boundaries, the graphic draws attention to the harsh reality that millions of tons of plastic pollute our world’s water sources every year.

It is credited Courtesy of Jorge Gamboa, first presented at La Bienal del Cartel Bolivia (BICeBé) and first published in National Geographic.

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Nature—Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

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If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://www-4.collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/2318798868/ |title=Plasticeberg |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=7 February 2025 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>