ALPLA Unveils Public Art Installation ‘Nice Time,’ Giving Recyclable Plastics New Life in the Circular Economy

ALPLA, a global manufacturer and recycler of innovative packaging solutions and creator of the sustainability education site Plastic Reimagined, today announced the unveiling of its public art installation, “Nice Time,” designed to inspire communities to see a world in which the full value of all objects is utilized.

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“Nice Time,” created by artist Hyland Mather in partnership with ALPLA, was made entirely with recyclable plastics and will be displayed in Midtown Atlanta’s Colony Square throughout Summer 2024. (Photo: Business Wire)

“Nice Time,” created by artist Hyland Mather in partnership with ALPLA, was made entirely with recyclable plastics and will be displayed in Midtown Atlanta’s Colony Square throughout Summer 2024. (Photo: Business Wire)

ALPLA partnered with artist Hyland Mather to create and install this large-scale art piece in Midtown Atlanta’s Colony Square. “Nice Time” is a visually stunning three-dimensional piece installed against a large wall in The Grove, a pocket park located at the intersection of 14th and Juniper Streets, and created entirely with plastics discovered by Mather throughout Atlanta as well as type 1, 2 and 5 recyclable plastics collected by ALPLA employees. Mather brought the piece to life at Colony Square over the course of a week for members of the public to observe and experience the circular economy first-hand, culminating in an unveiling and celebration on June 7. The art piece will continue to be displayed at the Midtown mixed-use destination throughout Summer 2024.

Describing the vision behind his creation, artist Hyland Mather said, “‘Nice Time’ is about the time we live in. For all of the incredibly challenging obstacles ahead of us, humans are amazing. Right now, despite all of the injustices, protests, and concerns, we still live on a magnificent planet in an awe-inspiring time. This piece is about the moment, with the hope of an even brighter future.”

“‘Nice Time’ was inspired by a Portuguese expression, ‘If you don’t have dogs, you have to hunt with cats,’ which captures the ingenuity and thrift that farmers use in getting a job done even when answers aren’t easy to find,” continued Mather. “Reimagining our relationship with common and necessary materials is part of our responsibility in the world. It’s a Nice Time to wake up, be thankful, and be the change we need to be to help our planet.”

This interactive public art piece is an extension of ALPLA’s ongoing sustainability initiative Plastic Reimagined, designed to provide reliable and action-based content to consumers on how to reduce plastic pollution and create a cleaner, more sustainable world.

“This is a Nice Time for us all to think about ways in which we can help draw attention to and make a statement about improving the world we live in through small individual efforts, like forming good recycling habits, repurposing materials, and tasking ourselves with finding ways to proceed optimistically in a world that can feel sinister and cynical,” said Mather.

"We’re inspired by how Hyland Mather exemplified upcycling with plastics through his art, and hope that it will lead people to reimagine all of the possibilities for plastics and drive their actions toward sustainability," said Billy Rice, Sustainability Manager at ALPLA. “ALPLA is deeply committed to the transformative power of the circular economy as a company that uses and processes recycled plastics. We invite you to join us in our commitment to creating a better world together.”

About Hyland Mather

Hyland Mather is an artist best known for constructivist and geometric assemblage of found objects, which Mather calls “lost objects.” His practice extends through many mediums, including mural painting, works on paper and canvas, and works in steel, light and sound. Hyland splits his time between Amsterdam, Portugal and Washington State, and can be found on Instagram at @thelostobject.

About Plastic Reimagined

Plastic Reimagined, an initiative of ALPLA, is an online campaign advocating for a circular economy. The website and social channels strive to educate and innovate with like-minded people determined to make a difference. Working across the entire value chain, we collaborate with others to reimagine the future of plastic through innovation, education, and advocacy for responsible use, effective recycling, and environmental protection. Join us in shaping a sustainable plastic future: www.plasticreimagined.org

About the ALPLA Group

ALPLA is one of the leading companies involved in plastic packaging and recycling. Around 23,300 employees worldwide produce custom-made packaging systems, bottles, caps and molded parts at 196 sites across 47 countries. In North America, ALPLA specializes in bottles and caps for the food, beverage, auto, health, beauty, and home care industries by using conscientious culture to drive purposeful packaging. ALPLA operates recycling plants for PET and HDPE. The international network of ALPLA recycling now includes 13 plants, including 4 joint ventures, in 9 countries: Germany, Italy, Mexico, Austria, Poland, Romania, Spain, South Africa and Thailand. Other projects are being realized elsewhere around the world. www.alpla.com