Tan Zi Xi, also known as MessyMsxi, is a Singaporean illustrator and installation artist whose work centers around environmental degradation, consumer culture, and the complex relationship between humans and nature.With a background in communication design, Tan blends whimsical illustration with bold environmental critique, often targeting the impact of waste and overconsumption. Her work challenges the audience to confront uncomfortable realities through immersive and imaginative means. She aims not only to raise awareness but also to spark a sense of personal accountability and behavioral change. By transforming everyday pollutants into visual experiences, Tan leverages art as a powerful tool to provoke both emotional and cognitive responses to environmental crises (Tan).

Her installation Plastic Ocean is a striking example of immersive environmental art that communicates the urgency of ocean pollution through sensory engagement. Suspended in a gallery space, more than 20,000 pieces of plastic waste—collected from beaches—hang from the ceiling to simulate the experience of being underwater, surrounded by floating debris. Visitors must physically walk through the installation, feeling the disorientation and claustrophobia that marine animals might experience in plastic-filled seas. The work is accompanied by subtle auditory cues, mimicking the underwater environment and enhancing the viewer’s immersion. By overwhelming the senses, Tan forces the audience to confront the scale and immediacy of plastic pollution. Plastic Ocean embodies how environmental art can transcend language and facts to ignite visceral understanding and compassion, aligning directly with the argument that art is a vital vehicle for ecological activism (Tan).

The below image is Plastic Ocean, by MESSYMSXI. Image courtesy of Tan Zi Xi.