Austin-based artist, Virginia Fleck makes mandalas from recycled plastic bags, and they are beautiful. And subversive. She says in an interview with GreenMuze.com:

“I think it’s important to know that we are continually monitored, manipulated and seduced by marketing campaigns carefully designed to appeal to our conceits as consumers.  When working, I purposely employ the current tropes of graphic design within the mandala context.  Armed with an Exacto knife, I have a lot of fun taking on and altering the consumer messages found on each bag. While indulging my inherent nature to be a wise-ass, I like to think that I am also chipping away at the more noble-mission of subverting these slogans and logos into a critique of their original purpose, which would be to seduce us into unconscious patterns of consumerist excess.”

This is why we need artists in the world!  Who else is going to transform the lowly plastic bag with such eloquence? Thanks for the colorful meditation -slash-wake-up call, Virginia!

Allah dollar mandala by Virginia Fleck

See more work at www.virginiafleck.com