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Newark Academy Students Unveil Sustainable Water Bottle Chandelier
Newark Academy students transformed 4,000 plastic water bottles into a beautiful piece of sustainable art — a massive chandelier under the guidance of renowned New Jersey-based contemporary sculptor and upcycler Willie Cole.
The water bottle chandelier was assembled during six separate visits through Cole’s artist-in-residency at NA this fall semester. The completed piece was officially unveiled during a reception on Thursday, November 7 alongside an exhibit of sustainable artwork by Cole, and now hangs from the skylight of the Teiger Gallery for Studio Arts.
“I think this chandelier is a perfect example of NA’s commitment to sustainability,” says Veera Jetley ’25. “It’s a collaborative work between students and faculty to repurpose plastic that would otherwise be sitting in a landfill, and it serves as a reminder that NA can make sustainable changes one step (or bottle) at a time.”
Through this project, students were able to visualize what mass amounts of waste actually looks like — in this case, 4,000 water bottles. Cole notes that when students can visualize the amount of waste that just the NA small community generates, they can begin to understand the mass amounts of waste that is generated worldwide and be inspired to take action.
“[I hope this brings] an awareness of how much waste is in the world,” says Cole. “In this room right now, there’s over 15,000 bottles [used throughout each piece in the art exhibit], and that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what’s outside on the ground.”
The completion of the chandelier engaged the entire school through the multiple steps of the process, from bottle collecting and bottle washing to poking holes and assembling the final product.
“Mr. Cole’s innovative art and commitment to sustainability align perfectly with our school’s mission to inspire creativity, critical thinking and social responsibility in our students,” says Teiger Gallery Director Elaine Brodie.
The chandelier will remain on display in the Teiger gallery through February until it is relocated to a more permanent location.
To set up an appointment to view the water bottle chandelier and Cole’s exhibit at NA’s Teiger Gallery, email ebrodie@newarka.edu.
An independent school for students in grades 6-12