‘New Old… Old New’ is an extension of my arts practice of re-purposing materials that we consider past their use-by-date.
We have been economically conditioned into consuming then discarding, rather than having something repaired or reprocessed. This societal behaviour has made me think long and hard about what we do with these “throw aways.” What started out as a way to create artistic pieces by repurposing, has turned into deeper way of behaving both when I’m creating and also in how I live with regards to my own refuse.
As I am exploring recyclable material my mind goes into this creative, turbulent mode. There is a certain excitement in imagining what this upcycle could be.
It has been my ambition to produce a couple of largescale pieces for quite a while and this invitation to ECU has given me the chance to create them. Old bed mattresses, dumped rusty cars, timber, and metal from discarded equipment. These are all an opportunity in my thinking process.
I tend to collect an item and then explore the opportunities that come with it. For instance, I first collected an old mattress from the side of the road just to see how it was made and what the components look and feel like. This curiosity turned into the making of numerous baitballs and other kinetic sculptures.
I also collected some old truck fenders. I thought what if I could cut the same shape off each side as a mirror image and then weld them together. The idea worked so well on a small scale that I decided to extend it into doing the same thing on an entire car. The fender idea was great, but to scale up this concept was always going to be a logistical challenge.
These two examples show how the material and my mind connect in a innovative way. I see the material and it communicates to me about where creatively I can go.
In ‘New Old… Old New’ I have put together a selection of pieces showcasing imaginative works through the use of societal waste.
Opening: Thursday 5 September 2024, 5pm–7pm
Exhibition dates: 6 September to 9 October 2024
Floor talk: Wednesday 2 October 2024, 12:30–1:30pm
Gallery opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10am–4pm and Saturday 14 September, 10am–4pm
Click HERE for the Invitation
Images are Courtesy of the Artist.
Fender 2 | 2024 | Truck part |17cm x 7cm x 46cm
Made In | 2023 | Recycled metal panels | 100cm x 150cm
Scrap Box | 2023 | Recycled metal panels | 30cm x 30cm x 60cm
Archived | 2023 | Recycled metal panels | 51 x 81cm
RE… | 2023 | Recycled metal | 100cm x 300cm x 20cm
