Art, Environment, and Amusement Parks

When I think of amusement parks, I picture massive and colorful structures, rides that fling people around like dolls, incredible wooden roller coasters, and people of all ages having a good time. Although the grandiose metal mazes that comprise ferris wheels and roller coasters can be artistic in a way, art and trash are not things I would immediately associate with an amusement park. Plans are being made in Uganda to change interpretations on what makes an amusement park wonderful.

Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire, Ugandan ecological artist, recently won a $10,000 award designed to encourage innovation in cities. He has decided to utilize this money to create an entertaining safe haven for Uganda’s poorest children, many of whom face problems that no child should have to encounter. While disease, poverty, and war remain daily aspects of many Uganda children’s lives, hopefully soon these kids can find some fun and relief with Ruganzu’s help.

Not only is this Ugandan artist creating something hugely beneficial for kids in Kampala’s slums, he is constructing beautiful pieces of artwork that can remind viewers of the trash problem affecting many cities of the developing world. Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire has chosen to construct Uganda’s newest amusement park out of an unexpected recycled material: plastic bottles. Ruganzu explains, “I shifted from doing artwork to just hang on walls, having little influence on society, to doing art that solves community needs. It’s helped me realize my value to society.”

How do you feel about an amusement park made of recycled materials? By simply considering what materials we use to construct things, we can end up making a big statement on society.

Written by: Katie Coughlan