(Above) A yellow buick mase, made from painted papier mache in Cuba, is one of the stars of Treasures from Trash at the Museum of Croydon

Exhibition: Treasures from Trash, Museum of Croydon, Croydon, until October 30 2010

Inside one of South London's hidden gems, the Museum of Croydon, recycling has never seemed more beautiful.

There's a kaleidoscopic plane made of recycled sheet metal from Zimbabwe, a light shade made from speakers, bags shaped from vinyl records and a long miniature car the colour of custard, made from papier mache in Cuba.

The show charts the path of everyday objects from waste
to inspiration

Alongside these easy-on-the-eye, astonishingly intricate re-imaginings of everyday waste, buckets made from rubber tyres in Morocco form a practical introduction to worlds where people depend on being inventive with rubbish to survive.

"The subject could have been a bit dry and a bit worthy," says Exhibitions Manager Laura Williams.

"The fact that Croydon Council are involved could have been perceived as a bit preachy as well. But really what we're doing is displaying a collection of things which have been created out of rubbish by makers around the world."

Making buckets
from rubber tyres in Morocco

They've teamed up with KnowTrash – writers and film makers Neil and Ruth Thomson – who document recycling in communities around the world.

"The objects and photographs on display are stunning in themselves, but they show how you can be inventive and creative with waste," says Williams.

"Everything on display was once something else. Almost all the things are functional – they have a purpose and a use, and they're designed to be attractive as well."

A plane made from recycled sheet material in Zimbabwe

The exhibition has been designed to appeal to families. "We've made it fun so that it doesn't come across as a heavy subject, and the exhibition has got a very local dimension to it as well," she adds.

Games and activities include a Generation Game-style memory challenge where visitors have to recall items as a sandtimer counts down the seconds, giant floor board games, and a make a paper cup challenge.

Council waste teams have helped explain what happens to local rubbish, and furniture makers show off their skilful reworking of used materials, giving the show a highly fashionable edge.

"We've tried to make it clean and stylish rather than leaving people thinking 'ooh, it’s a bit eco, it's a bit green'," points out Williams.

"But hopefully people will just find it beautiful and engaging and fun."

Visit the exhibition programme online for full details of accompanying activities.

Watch the video of Know Trash at work in South Africa:

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