“Late Bloomers” is a video installation depicting a world where queerness thrived and nature ceased to exist. With only plastic remaining in this realm, they celebrate an unknown nature to them. By mutating with their environment, they access a queer reality.

My degree showpiece is an immersive installation including evidence from this reality as well as a window into this world (the film) back-projected onto a plastic sheet with a sculpted frame made of trash. Hand-sculpted acrylic mirrors, artificial flowers, and lamps made of melted plastic surround the room.
Costumes have been made for each actor but only some parts appear in the room: a plastic armor and wings made through a sponsorship from Midton Acrylics, a Scottish-based company that invented a new polymer material producing less carbon footprint.

The film, (entirely shot in my living room that I filled with melted plastic sheets and bottles I had collected), depicts a ritual where my queer community in Glasgow engage in dances and interact with future artifacts. The room serves as an in-between chamber, a plastic treasure room making the viewer question what is precious and disposable.

Hand-sculpted mirrors serve as windows to access the world I have built. As symbols of self-love, they hint at new beginnings, and other horizons to speculate and dream of.
Essentially portals, the mirrors constitute the access to this realm. They create a link between the reality we are part of, the past queerness manifested in as well as the future it will evolve in. Their designs are inspired by genderless flowers, bugs, slugs, and species supposed to survive the apocalypse.

In addition to the video installation, I have also been working on A3 prints. Like the overall piece, the prints are made up of windows from the world I have been creating.
It is comprised of pictures showing its surroundings and the objects that make it up. Finally, it is accompanied by a language that is drawn by hand and then rendered in 3D.

While the film adds context to the objects in the room, the prints are more centered around my set design work. Almost like a spellbook or a bible, they essentially are the recipe for the making of Late Bloomers.

My project embodies a holistic approach to sustainability that extends beyond mere environmental considerations to encompass social and cultural dimensions. By shooting the film in my flat and embracing the beauty in everyday materials, I hope to inspire others to reevaluate their relationship with the world around them and to recognize the transformative power of sustainability in shaping a more equitable and harmonious future.

For purchases and inquiries please email me at

pro.axelgutapfel@gmail.com