Repurposed: From the Landfill to the Gallery
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 03.26.07
When we recycle materials like aluminum, plastic or glass, we generally expect that these cans, bottles and other containers will go towards the creation of more cans, bottles and containers. Many in the art world, though, are looking at our refuse and seeing the building blocks of beauty. Starting next Monday, the online exhibit Repurposed: Art from Recycled Materials will showcase artistic work literally salvaged from the trash. Sponsoring organization EBSQ is challenging artists to take a second look at the things most of us still discard, and to give them a new life as objets d'art:
This show is about taking things that are destined for the landfill and turning them into art. Yep, we're talking trash here. This is "One man's trash is another man's treasure" on steroids and your challenge for this show is to take what would normally never get a second look, what most people would throw away, and create. It can be anything from a coffee filter to a broken chair. An old, spare wheel or an abused and broken toy. Box tops, cans, scraps of fabric, cd cases, jars, coolers, old oven racks... you get the idea. Anything that has found its way into the dustbin or onto the curb is fair game. What you do with your finds - what other things you combine them with, is entirely up to you and limited only by your imagination.While the exhibit starts on April 1st, the exhibit will accept entries through the 15th. The show will be juried, and yours truly, on behalf of Treehugger, will choose the winning entry. The winning artist will receive half of the money collected through entry fees (a mere $10/entry); EBSQ will donate the remaining funds to Environmental Defense.
If you're an artist mulling over whether to enter, EBSQ even provides five good reasons to do so on its blog. Let those creative juices flow... and it's fine to look through the neighbor's trash for inspiration... ::Repurposed: Art from Recycled Materials
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The site is not clear on how to enter something for the show. Do you have to pay them $7.50 to join their site, and then you get the opportunity to pay them $10 to be part of their show?
@ Mike
This show is only open to members of our community, and yes, there is a fee associated with membership. If you're interested in learning more about EBSQ membership, feel free to drop me a line!
Regarding the fee for this show (and our shows don't typically have fees associated with them) half the proceeds go directly to Environmental Defense, and half go directly to the artist of the winning entry.
We're pretty excited about this exhibit; it gets artists thinking about materials in a way they might not have before, it should hopefully have an impact on the environment by repurposing items in a rather unique way, it will hopefully raise a lot of money for a great cause, and we hope to see art patrons become part of the solution by making green choices when purchasing work for their home, office, or commercial space.
Seeking advice on Green Art and Design Materials - Adhesives
I posted the following questions on hugg, but I have not yet found or received any new information. As a constant hugg and treehugger.com reader, I didn't know where better to inquire. I am seeking advice on environmentally friendly materials for art and design projects. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Does anyone have information on available green adhesive materials? I'm hoping to find decent quality hot glue-gun sticks that are non-toxic and not petroleum based. In the past I have been a big fan of hot glue guns, but I always had concerns in the back of my mind about the potential danger of the vapors created when heating the sticks, and the glue off-gassing when solidified. Are regular hot glue sticks recyclable? Can the glue be recycled with cardboard when the two are bonded together? I'm not sure if the glue used in hot-glue guns is non-toxic and safe, but I haven't found information proving that it is.
Someone on Wikipedia stated that "A common material for the glue sticks (eg. the light amber colored Thermogrip GS51, GS52, and GS53) is ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer.[1] The vinyl acetate monomer content is about 18-29 weight % of the polymer. Various additives are usually present, eg. a tackifying resin and wax. Other base materials may be based on polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, or polyester, or various copolymers.[2]"
When I saw the word "vinyl" I cringed. Is this form of vinyl as toxic as others?
Are any similar, but enviro-friendly alternative products available? Any advice on available products or suggestions on where else to inquire would be greatly appreciated.
Another material for which I am seeking additional information is adhesive tape. What kinds of tape are eco-friendly? I know that some pieces of tape attached to cardboard boxes often get tossed into the recycling, but I don't know if it is actually supposed to be mixed in. And again, I don't know whether or not the adhesives used are toxic.
Finally, I know that many environmentally friendly paints have been mentioned on this site before, but I was curious to know whether anyone had recommendations specific of paints for various applications. I'm primarily looking for good quality outdoor paints for mural work – something that is opaque, fade and weather proof, and preferably fast drying. Also, I'm looking for archival quality paints with a decent colour range for indoor pieces.
Thank you,
Sean
seanmartindale1@gmail.com