Beautifying Trash
Hey there!
First off, I wish you all a very happy new year! I hope you’ll stay healthy and well.
I have recently been working on a few trash objects and turned them into artworks.
All of these were made for group shows which are currently on view. So depending where you live you might be able to go and see them!
2023 - 14 January, “Year of The Rabbit”, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2023 - 12 January - 1st of April, “Street Urbaines”, Comoedia, Brest, France
The first “Strawberry Milk” was made on an empty milk bottle I found in the trash of Trinity Art Residency in London, where I was in residence early 2020. (yes, just before the pandemic)
I loved the shape so I washed it thoroughly and brought it back.
One of my caterpillar found its way on this one and since it was mostly pink, it ended up dictating the color scheme for this sculpture. It took a few months to complete this one, as I really had no clue where it was going!
The second sculpture is a trio of plastic bottles in black. I tend to bring back trash from my holidays, especially plastic bottles as they’re so representative of the trash we create. At home I never buy beverages in plastic bottles as I mostly drink tap water. So it’s a good way to upcycle the trash from my holidays. Usually the shapes are always quite interesting too!
In any case I decided to go with three little ones and painted them all black. I then added a coral reef with angel and butterfly fishes on top. I quite like the contrast of a bold rainbow on satin black.
The last sculpture is on take-out trash. I’m not proud of it, but we sometimes order sushi to take-out and eat at home. So I washed and kept those containers. I don’t keep all my trash, but I keep things that seem interesting as reference for paintings or as base objects for sculptures.
Now this specific sculpture was for a group show titled “the year of the rabbit” and one idea led to another and I created these miniature galaxy bunnies.
You can hear me talk about these more on my YouTube channel as well.
I should add that I made another sculpture on a book that sold before the show started, “fruiting bodies”. I started this one for my solo show, but was unable to finish it on time. But here it is!
Apart from the book, the other sculptures are all available through the galleries.
The two plastic bottle sculptures are at Comoedia Gallery and the rabbits are at Modern Eden Gallery.
You can always see here, which artworks I currently have available, either at my own place or in galleries here.
And if you’d like to know when new artworks are available, my newsletter subscribers are always the first informed!