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Above: TheLastStraw #1. Click to view larger image.

TheLastStraw searches the web daily for images of straw in the public domain. It uses a generative adversarial network (GAN) visual classifier to analyse the found images and calculates the percentage of natural straw in contrast to artificial straw as an indication of human ecological impact. The results are logged on Twitter as an ongoing performative work, which runs until the natural straw reading reaches 0% or 100%.

By tracking images of straw, one simple natural material, through how it is ‘pictured’ on a mass scale online the work in a manner visualises the progression of the anthropocene, how humanity’s understanding of straw as a natural material is diminishing and, as a result, the well-known idiom of “the last straw” becomes reality.

Above: TheLastStraw on Twitter. Click to view additional images.

All images used in TheLastStraw are licensed under creative commons.