Synthetic Blue Skulptūra by Ze Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Dzelzs balva A' Design Award in Tēlotājmākslas un mākslas instalāciju dizains Competition Category.

DzelzsTēlotājmāksla· 2026

Synthetic Blue Skulptūra

by Ze Zhou

Client: Zoe Ze Zhou

Dzelzs balva A' Design Award Winner in Tēlotājmāksla Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180954

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Synthetic Blue Skulptūra

Synthetic Blue ir skulptūra, kas atgādina medūzu. Skulptūra ir pilnībā izgatavota no pārstrādātiem vienreizlietojamiem plastmasas galda piederumiem, kas termiski pārveidoti un neatgriezeniski iestrādāti sveķos. Kupola forma ir radīta ar saspiešanu un kontrolētu karstumu, saglabājot virsmas tekstūras, kas atgādina bioloģiskas membrānas. Darbs balstās seklā, kokā ietvertā sveķu baseinā, kas rada atspīdošas ūdens virsmas iespaidu. Skatītāji sākotnēji uztver objektu kā jūras organismu, bet pēc tam atpazīst izmesto plastmasu — šī uztveres maiņa pievērš uzmanību atkritumu ietekmei uz okeāna dzīvi.

The Recognition

About the Dzelzs balva A' Design Award

Synthetic Blue Skulptūra ir Dzelzs balvas A' Design Award ieguvējs, prestiža atzinība, ko piešķir labiem dizainiem, kas atbilst profesionālajām un rūpnieciskajām prasībām, kādas sagaidāmas no labi izstrādātiem darbiem. Dzelzs ieguvēji parāda to radītāju lielo prasmi, augsto specializāciju, ekspertu izpratni un radošo spēju. Sagaidāms, ka Synthetic Blue Skulptūra būs augsti vērtēts, apbrīnots un cienīts darbs, praktisks un inovatīvs. Šis ar Dzelzs balvu apbalvotais dizains integrē nozares labāko praksi un tam ir kompetentas tehniskās īpašības, kas saistītas ar zinātību un talantu. Synthetic Blue Skulptūra tiek cienīts par rūpību un ir izstrādāts, lai uzlabotu dzīves kvalitāti un palīdzētu padarīt pasauli labāku.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The sculpture is constructed entirely from reclaimed disposable plastic utensils that have been thermally reshaped and permanently embedded in resin.

The piece rests within a shallow resin basin framed in wood. Integrating material recycling, biomimetic morphology, and controlled thermoplastic manipulation, the work synthesizes sustainability, process-driven form, and ecological narrative into a cohesive sculptural object.
Dimensions & Packaging: The object is positioned within a shallow resin basin framed by wood, simulating a reflective water surface. This base establishes spatial context while stabilizing the structure.

The project merges material recycling, biomimetic morphology, and controlled thermoplastic manipulation into a single cohesive object.
Tags: Art，Sustainable Design，Environmental friendly，Product Design
Production Technology: The sculpture is constructed entirely from reclaimed disposable plastic utensils that have been thermally reshaped and embedded in resin. The dome structure is formed through compression and controlled heat processes, preserving surface textures that resemble biological membranes.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was balancing structural stability with organic irregularity. Thermoplastic materials deform unpredictably under heat, requiring iterative experimentation to maintain translucency without
collapse.

Another challenge involved achieving water-like optical depth within a shallow resin base while preserving clarity and minimizing air bubbles.
Research: It explores thermoplastic reconfiguration and biomimetic form translation. Through experimental heating and compression methods, disposable plastic utensils were transformed into semi-organic structures while maintaining evidence of their original function.

The research investigates how material memory, translucency, and deformation can simulate marine morphology. The work also examines visual misidentification as a design strategy, translating ecological phenomena into object-scale form.
Inspiration: Sea turtles often mistake floating plastic for jellyfish, leading to fatal ingestion. Synthetic materials have infiltrated natural ecosystems.

Synthetic Blue emerges from this resemblance. Instead of symbolically depicting marine life, the project reshapes discarded plastic utensils into a form that mimics the fragile translucency of a jellyfish.

By transforming waste into a seductive marine apparition, the work exposes the paradox of artificial beauty and environmental harm.
Project Duration: Designed and fabricated in California, USA, 2024–2025.
Exhibited in 2025 at:
• Some Like It Hot, California Creative Arts, CA
• Pocket Gallery, Burbank, CA
Operation Flow: Viewers first encounter the sculpture as a delicate marine organism due to its translucent surface and aquatic coloration.

As proximity increases, the identity of disposable plastic materials becomes recognizable. This perceptual transition — from aesthetic admiration to material awareness — forms the primary interaction mechanism.

The work operates through visual deception and revelation, mirroring the ecological misrecognition that inspired it.
Patents: Zoe Ze Zhou
Team Members: Zoe Ze Zhou
Image Credits: Zoe Ze Zhou