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Critical Mass

Show & Tell art

Making
Art
from Trash

My work is inspired by various movements and theories in art. I very much admire the artistic developments of Russian Constructivists and the idea of using found objects, and letting their inherent properties speak for themselves. Even though it appears that there is no structure, the work is developed with certain “orders” that occur, and structure but also while moving towards deconstructionism. A breaking down and building up of analysis and a critique of modernity. It is a creation of anti-creation that art can be made from the unexpected, from trash, from the over-looked and discarded objects of society. I consider it a sort of social commentary on the wastefulness of American culture that commodities are made to be thrown away, and cheap enough to just buy again. These pieces are basically uninteresting until they are combined in such a way that they begin to mean more than just leftovers from the dumpster. How I go about assembling them is also important as well. For example, the elements are only held together by other found objects. If I want to screw pieces together, the nails or screws need to be “trash” in order to be true to the construction. The same sort of homogeneity of forms is true for a wall composition I made, but in a different way. In that instance all the materials, except for the found substances are of an organic foundation. Ink, flower petals, blood, wax, and eggs take up the majority of the canvas. In its entirety, it summates an incomplete chaos, a way of trying to come to terms with the anxiety and disaster of modern life. It doesn’t make sense in the way that it should not or does not have to; art is not responsible for being informative like a newspaper or billboard. My other piece, which gives an idea of my construction work, is made entirely of discovered items. I use the forms in a way that they will pull and resist on each other, and still maintain a self-sustaining element. When I am collecting these items, I have no idea what they will look like or turn out to be, because the elements themselves, and what I happen to find will determine how it looks in the end. The supporting base of this “sculpture” is bike handlebars. A toner cartridge serves as a leaning stand and numerous business cards, glass, reflectors, nuts and bolts take part in the arrangement. Regardless as to what it looks like, the most important aspect is the process of creation. In the end, if I do not like what I have made, I can take it apart and start all over again.

CassieTroyan	Latest page update: made by CassieTroyan , May 29 2007, 10:24 PM EDT (about this update About This Update Edited by CassieTroyan 1 word added 1 image added view changes - complete history)
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