Plastic Bag Store: A Grocery Store Made Entirely of Plastic Bags

Artist Robin Frohardt's immersive installation 'The Plastic Bag Store' opened in Los Angeles on June 30, 2021, presented by the Center for Art of Performance (CAP) at UCLA. The installation is a full-scale replica of an American grocery store where every product is made from plastic bags and other plastic waste. Visitors explore the space before watching a video work that combines puppetry, shadow play, and fantastical sets, telling a story from antiquity to a post-apocalyptic future. The work critiques consumerism and the enduring legacy of plastic waste. Frohardt, who has a background in painting and puppetry, began using found materials out of necessity and fascination with waste. She previously collaborated with the Cardboard Institute of Technology in Chicago. The installation was originally scheduled to open in Times Square, New York, on March 18, 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic. Frohardt transformed the live performance into a film, making the installation easier to tour. After Los Angeles, the store will continue traveling across the United States, though official dates have not been announced. The Dumpster Monster, a giant garbage monster puppet, accompanies the tour.