Swedish designer Kajsa Willner collaborated with material scientist Dmytro Orlov of Lund University to create polarised images of disposable plastic, bringing out the beauty in the waste material.

Polarized Portraits, as the project is called, is the result of a mutual fascination of physical phenomena and optical effects. It uses light polarisation, a method widely used in material research. Light polarisation is an optical phenomenon that occurs when waves of light oscillate in a single plane.

The polarised filters highlight pieces of disposable plastic, bringing out a beauty that contrast with the connotations of plastic. The images are examples of properties of various types of disposable plastic, revealing the inherent stress and birefringence, creating colourful material portraits.

Photos: Marcus Brunström