An impressively large group of figures made from packaging waste, scrap metal, and electronic waste, lined up in perfect formation against the imposing backdrop of the Matterhorn - this striking motif characterizes the visual communication of the Circular Valley Convention 2025 (CVC), which will take place on March 12 and 13, 2025, at Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf.
With this unique visual, the new platform for industrial circular economy sends a powerful message about the need for global change towards a circular economy. The image is part of the international art project Trash People by HA Schult, who is considered a pioneer and one of the most important representatives of art critical of consumption and the environment.
At the Circular Valley Convention 2025, attendees will have the opportunity to experience over 100 Trash People live - in the aisles, on the stages, and throughout the exhibition and networking areas. With this installation, CVC 2025 aims to send a strong signal for the circular economy while taking a stand against resource waste and environmental pollution. HA Schult himself will also be on-site on both days of the event, offering insights into his artwork and its underlying message to interested participants.
Art as a Mirror of the Throwaway Society
For nearly 50 years, Cologne-based performance artist HA Schult has been transforming consumer waste into art - into what he calls “monuments of our time.” His Trash People are made from aluminum cans, computer scrap, plastic packaging, and other materials that also play a central role in the circular economy.
With his spectacular sculpture series Trash People, HA Schult has created a strong symbol of consumer criticism and sustainability. First presented in 1996, the installation has since been exhibited at numerous iconic locations around the world-including the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, next to Cologne Cathedral, and, as seen in the Circular Valley Convention visual, at the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
A Call for Sustainable Business Practices
The Trash People are more than just an art project - they are a statement on each individual’s responsibility for our environment and a call to transform our economy. At the same time, they demonstrate that waste is not the end but rather the beginning of a cycle.
With this message, HA Schult’s “Scrap Sculptures” powerfully reinforce the mission of the Circular Valley Convention: bringing together leading decision-makers from business, science, and society to jointly drive innovative solutions in the circular economy forward. This challenge can only be met successfully through cross-industry and cross-border cooperation.
A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Business Practices
To achieve this, the Circular Valley Convention follows a holistic approach, bridging science and business, theory and practice. Spanning industries and materials, it covers all dimensions and phases of the circular economy - from the use of renewable raw materials to product design, manufacturing, logistics, and usage to collection, sorting, and recycling. As a central hub for the circular economy, it provides key impulses for a sustainable and resource-efficient way of doing business.
“We want to drive the sustainable transformation of industry toward a functioning circular economy while providing participants with a platform for exchange and inspiration,” emphas Philip Scheffler, Project Lead of the Circular Valley Convention at Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. “As an iconic symbol of consumer criticism, recycling, and global responsibility, the image of the Trash People set against the breathtaking natural backdrop of the Matterhorn perfectly aligns with our mission. With this powerful visual, we aim to inspire businesses, scientists, and policymakers to take action together.”
