The bottom of the world’s wave pools are a lost and found basket of surfboard fins, wristbands, ear plugs, chunks of wax… you name it. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to clean up come closing time. But what about this debris at the bottom of some of the world’s most famous surf breaks?

After a storied career lifeguarding in Hawaii, Mark Cunningham began beachcombing and snorkeling to collect lost objects from what he’s dubbed the “Shorepound Lost and Found”. Surfboard fins, wristwatches, hotel room cards – the material is endless and so is Mark’s creativity for assembling objects that juxtapose the beauty of natural coralline algae growth with forgotten plastic forms.

The Great Highway gallery will present the HNL-SFO/Castaways, Installation, rope panels and assemblage from Maureen Debreé, Ethan Estess and Mark Cunningham. Sponsored by Head High wines. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to the San Francisco Surfrider Foundation.

Ethan jokes that Mark is the only person he knows who “likes” marine debris as much as he does. Estess left his career as a marine biologist studying tuna and shark ecology with the Monterey Bay Aquarium to focus on using reclaimed fishing rope and other materials to create sculptural works that tell stories about the ocean. He made this series of artworks predominately from fishing rope collected off the beaches of Oahu by a local nonprofit called Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii.

Having become good friends through their love of surfing and mutual support of the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Surfrider Foundation, HNL-SFO/Castaways highlights Cunningham and Estess’ simpatico styles, and their shared commitment to protecting ocean life. If their works could be collectively summarized, they both elevate mundane, environmentally harmful material into artworks that are worthy to bring into one’s home as daily reminders that our consumer choices have impacts on the sea.

Mark Cunningham has been in love with the ocean and surf for over 60 years. A retired City & County of Honolulu Lifeguard he still spends a great deal of his time on the beach and in the water. Beachcombing between Mkapuu and Kahuku on Oahu’s Winward shoreline, has proivided most of the wood for the pieces.