Sustainable art - 8th December 2023

Artist Mean Tithpheap has won recognition from the Cambodian Environment Ministry for his upcycled art - sculpting discarded bike and motorcycle tyres into things of beauty. Channelling his art school education into sustainability, Tithpheap's upcycling prevents the abandoned tyres from contributing to the spread of malaria, since they're a perfect environment for its mosquito hosts to breed.

With burning the tyres not an option, given their toxic constituents, few options exist for non-biodegradable waste of this nature. However, Tithpheap's project of sculpting giant animals from waste tyres has now been running for four years.

Mean Tithpheap: "I have made some 40 animals from bicycle and motorbike tyres. And the most popular animal is King Kong, I've made 10 of them."

The authorities face an uphill battle tackling waste management, with rapid population growth, rising urban migration and a trend towards greater consumerism. A workable strategy to manage plastic recycling has proven elusive, resulting in increasing instances of areas becoming sprawling rubbish dumps as the country grapples with the issue.

Tithpheap's using his creativity to promote recycling, hoping his work will inspire behaviour change amongst the wider Cambodian public.

Mean Tithpheap: "I appeal to the public to support the recycling of things in Cambodia. It starts with me and if other people, who have learned from me, can also recycle waste like this, we can reduce this tyre waste by a lot."

The 37 year old artist's shouldered his own fair share of challenges, having had to sacrifice his schooling to take care of his family. Nevertheless, following his artistic calling has seen tides turn in his favour, with his giant sculptures attracting buyers from cafes and hotel resorts to private collectors, each splashing out around $2,000 to $3,000 per piece, according to the work's size.

The Environment Ministry acknowledged Tithpheap's contribution to sustainability, environmental preservation and natural resource management by presenting him with a certificate of appreciation.