The Curious Preservation Of Useless Things Series
The Curious Preservation Of Useless Things
Americans consume and live among thousands of mass-produced objects. When trends change, these objects, each carrying layers of cultural and personal history, move to the next phase: the secondhand store. Thrift shops are both hunting grounds for assemblage materials, as well as anthropological gold mines. Fragments, found objects, chicken wire, bark and broken glass are re-imagined into raft-like momentos of nostalgia merged with climate anxiety. These works examine what we preserve, what we discard, and the questionable values embedded in the objects we choose to keep.
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Rustic ChicAssemblage sculpture of a Cowboy and Indian framed print encrusted with bark and glass shards. A protective wrap of chicken wire encircles the framed relic. A stained blue and white ribbon suspends the artwork. Acrylic house paint on wood panel, 30" x 30" x 4". Photo by Lynne Damianos Photography. View large size. |
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Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It SnowAssemblage sculpture of a water damaged winter photo with two ornate gold frame pieces secured on the sides to be the runners of a sled. A raft-like cushion made from vinyl and duct tape is attached below. Acrylic house paint on wood panel, 20" x 11.5" x 2". Photo by Lynne Damianos Photography. |
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One Armed Little LadyA one-armed ceramic figurine of an idealized young girl is preserved in a chicken-wire cage within a broken mirror, A painted and printed backdrop of a flower and hummingbird is askew behind her and the assemblage is distressed and aged to appear like an artifact found in the rubble of a flooded home. Found objects, framed mirror, chicken wire, ceramic figurine, paint, printed image and cardboard. 17.5” x 15” x 5”. |
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I Will Always Love YouCarefully preserved in a chicken wire cage, a badly stained and oxidized ceramic figurine of an idealized young woman gazes at her own image in a shattered and framed mirror. She stands against a neon green carved foam podium-like shape. Note: mirror reflects landscape beyond the assemblage from when the photo was taken and is a reflection, not part of the artwork. Found objects, framed mirror, chicken wire, ceramic figurine, paint and foam rubber. 13.5” x 13.5” x 4”.
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