Monika Lin [Photo provided to China Daily]

Guest adds: "Lin connects the toxicity of the beauty myth to the vast waste dumps of plastic and garbage surrounding cities and polluting the oceans, a result of our reliance on the endless cycle of production and consumption, and the repetitive labor of millions."

Another of Lin's artworks, Color of Light, attempts to tackle a similar issue. Using mostly recycled plastics and solar lights, Lin built several sculptures shaped like trees that can provide shade in the day and function as lamps at night. This installation was showcased in Yangjiawei City Park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in May.

"These plastic trees indicate the loss of nature and the solar energy-powered light that illuminates the trees is perhaps one solution that we can all take upon ourselves to make the planet a little bit better," she says.

Meanwhile, Take Away, an artwork comprising 12 pieces of transparent epoxy resin made to resemble disposable microwave food containers, each containing rice grains forming the shape of a tree, aims to address the issues of waste, labor and pollution in food delivery systems.

"Completely in white, these images speak of something almost divine, like a perfect image frozen in time-a motionless snow globe, "says Rebecca Catching, formerly the director of OV Gallery in Shanghai, of the artwork.

"But hemmed in by the contours of the take-out box, which left its rounded rectangle imprint in the resin, these poor trees are trapped, (and) their growth, like that of the human development, is halted."