Poly

AN EXHIBITION BY OLOF JARLBRO

JULY 30 – SEPTEMBER 26, 2026

Curated by Martin Schibli

Opening: July 30, 6:30 PM,

in the presence of the artist and the curator

Synthesis Gallery presents the exhibition “Poly” by the Swedish photographer Olof Jarlbro. Between 2017 and 2023, he traveled throughout Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India to document global plastic pollution.

The project describes how people are exposed to the consequences of plastic, how they themselves use plastic products, and how plastic provides a livelihood for some. Jarlbro documents how the lives of people in different parts of the world are linked by plastic. An estimated 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year. Poly is an abbreviation for polyethylene (PE), the most common form of plastic. It’s also a common slang word among waste pickers in different countries. Far from all of it is recycled, with plastic waste transforming and poisoning nature. Figures vary, but at least 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year.

The production of plastic is expected to increase, as is the pollution of oceans and the natural environment.

The “Poly” photo series grew out of previous projects in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and India. Jarlbro observed that the use of plastic was similar in these countries. Although a large part of the population in has experienced economic improvement, the societies’ increased resources still need to be invested in recycling infrastructure and in measures that benefit everyone. Instead, plastic ends up on the outskirts of cities and in areas where people struggle to survive daily. At the same time, people living in these areas become major consumers of single-use packaging themselves. Meanwhile, plastic represents a small opportunity for survival for those who collect, sort, and resell it.

In the “Poly” series, Jarlbro uses his ability to gain access to personal stories about life on the margins and the consequences of the global economy. The individuals’ stories become micro-histories through which Jarlbro ultimately develops a broader, macro-level perspective on what the world looks like today, how we use the Earth’s resources and means of production, and how the global cycle connects continents and different social classes.