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Art imitates life at The Plastic Bag Store pop-up in New York

The Plastic Bag Store set to open to the public on Thursday (Oct. 22) looks like a typical New York City grocery, with rows of soda drinks and cartons on its shelves. But a closer look at the boxes of sushi rolls and cereal reveals labels such as 'plastic bagacado roll,' 'Yucky Shards,' and 'Caps N' Such.'

The pop-up art installation in the heart of Times Square is meant to raise environmental awareness, coinciding with New York State's ban on all plastic carryout bags.

"There are humorous and satirical takes on everyday products that highlight the amount of waste that we're using, and the environmental problems related," said Brooklyn artist and creator of The Plastic Bag Store, Robin Frohardt. "And so because The Plastic Bag Store feels like a regular grocery store, I think the next time you go to a grocery store, it might feel like The Plastic Bag Store, and that might make you think a little bit about what's happening to the planet and the packaging situation."

Beginning Monday (Oct. 19), all plastic carryout bags are banned throughout the entire state of New York, where according to the state's Department of Environmental Conservation, more than 23 billion plastic bags are used each year. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags, otherwise they could be charged a state-approved five-cent paper carry-out bag reduction fee.

"There's an excessive amount of waste and single-use plastic that's used daily in New York City and all over the world," said Frohardt. "And it's designed for convenience, designed to be used for a very brief period of time and then thrown away. But there is no 'away' and it doesn't go anywhere, it doesn't decompose, and it's ending up in our oceans and in the environment, and it's a real problem."

The ban, which was supposed to begin March 1 but was postponed because of the pandemic, is aimed at preventing the single-use plastic bags from clogging landfills and littering parks and waterways.

"We originally had planned the project to coincide with the New York state plastic bag ban that went into effect March 1," said Times Square Arts director, Jean Cooney. "But much like the project, the ban was also put on pause during the pandemic. It's now being reinstated around the exact same time that we had the opportunity to present the work, so, a poetic coincidence, but by no means the predetermined plan."

The Plastic Bag Store opens to the public on Thursday (Oct. 22) for three weeks from Wednesdays through Saturdays. Visitors can browse the art installation in small groups in hour-long intervals and can view a puppet film after experiencing the store.

(Production: Roselle Chen, Andrew Hofstetter)