Gyre. (2025)

“Gyre” by contemporary abstract artist Tim Willcox explores ocean pollution and drifting plastic waste through layered mixed-media and expressive mark-making. A colourful yet unsettling reflection on environmental impact.

This painting looks at the great floating islands of plastic that drift through our oceans - those huge swirling gyres made from everyday waste. At first glance, the colours are light and lively, but there’s something uneasy under the surface. The plastic bottles almost look like they’re dancing, yet we know they don’t belong there at all.

The piece reflects how something we treat as disposable ends up travelling halfway around the world and settling in places we’ll never see. There are nods here to overfishing and drilling too, but the real focus is the slow, creeping impact of plastic - the kind that moves quietly, endlessly, without ever breaking down.

Gyre is both gentle and accusatory. It asks us to look a little closer at what we leave behind.