“Plastic is not the enemy. The material is not the enemy.”
This is the message behind Jude Crisostomo’s photo exhibit entitled PlastiCity, which opened on Jan. 28, 2026 at Cebu Making Space. The exhibit showcases behind-the-scenes photographs from the launch of The Tangram Project, an initiative spearheaded by Making Space in partnership with the Japanese non-profit organization FootRoots.
The Tangram Project is a plastic upcycling initiative that collects discarded plastic bottle caps from disposable drinking bottles gathered from various establishments. These caps are then transformed into tangrams — traditional geometric puzzle toys — as a creative response to the growing problem of plastic waste in Cebu.
The program encourages people to rethink how they see single-use plastics and reconsider the value of everyday discarded objects.
The black-and-white photographs featured in PlastiCity allow viewers to witness the process behind the project. The images document the people involved, the machinery used and each stage of production — from melting the plastic caps to molding them into tangram pieces.
Plastic remains an unavoidable part of daily consumption. However, how society chooses to use and manage these materials determines the extent of their long-term impact. Through creativity, craft and a gradual shift in mindset, initiatives like The Tangram Project demonstrate that small, intentional steps can lead to more sustainable solutions.