Chris Jordan's Intolerable Beauty- An Example of What Kind of Non-ReUse Art We Would Consider Showing at BRING Gallery

The question of what art beyond re-use art we might consider showing at BRING Gallery has come up in several different discussions lately. Everyone seems to want to know where we draw the line. Is a landscape painting enough to fulfill the mission of promoting artists "that aim to improve our relationship with the natural world through the use of reclaimed materials and by addressing pressing environmental issues in their art."

The short answer is no. Of course it is much more complicated than that. If the landscape paintings were made with discarded materials, that would give it more credibility, or if there was an explicit message about consumption or waste, then it would get further consideration.

A great example would be the photography of Chris Jordan. Photography in itself is not reuse art, nor is it particularly environmentally friendly. Yet the message Jordan is able to communicate through his photography is a valuable one. His "Intolerable Beauty: Protraits of American Mass Consumption" series would be hard to pass up should he want to show at BRING.

The images are compelling because they address our unabashed consumption and waste. The images are both beautiful and repelling. They draw you in and spit you out. I find it fascinating that I am entranced with the images themselves, but repulsed by the story they tell. Taken as formal works of art they are as beautiful as any number of abstract paintings, still-life photographs or landscapes. Seen in context of modern society and a body work, the message is clear that we need to reflect on the way we live. 

Tom Deininger: Creating Art Out of Cultures Clutter

I came across the work of Tom Deininger while researching eco-art. He was part of a group show and his work really stood out. He creates his "pictures" by assembling hundreds (if not thousands) of objects in a mosaic like mural. These assemblages are 3 dimensional, and when viewed from the right perspective, they create an image.

Imagine going to every thrift store, goodwill, value village,  salvation army and yard sale, in a 100 mile radius, hit a handful of dumpsters while you are at it, gather up all the trashiest junk you can find. Now imagine a warehouse sized studio where Tom sorts and assembles his amazing "pictures". Or just check out the videos on his website and you won't have to try too hard to imagine it.

The video here is a look at one of his pieces that he made as a tribute to famous pop culture icon. Can you guess who she is? See if you can spot the reference to JFK's assassination. But really you should check out the video of his studio, it's mind blowing. The guy must have either married well or be a trust-funder.

But forget about that monsterous studio for a minute and focus on the materials he is working with. For the most part it is the kind of plastic trash that is filling our landfills. Its outrageous that it even exists and for the most part we try to pretend it doesn't exist. But there it is, and Tom's got the time and space to turn it into something amazing. I wouldn't exactly call his work beautiful, but it does make you think.

BRING Gallery & Bag Habit

In late October of 2007 I took on a volunteer position as Gallery Co-Manager for BRING Recycling in Eugene, OR. BRING's mission is to promote recycling and thus as an extention of BRING Recycling, BRING Gallery's mission is to showcase the creative efforts of artists that aim to improve our relationship with the planet through their art.

It's been very exciting being part of shaping the vision and direction of BRING's art space. Together with my partner Elizabeth Lamb, we are working hard to make BRING Gallery into a professional non-profit art space. It has also been exciting to research art that matches the vision we have crafted for the gallery. 

One of the most exciting pieces I have come across thus far in my research is a piece by Canadian artist Shannon Harvey called Bag Habit. Her creation is essentially a gigantic shopping bag made from over 100 different bags all sewn together. This is the average number of bags used by just one Canadian over a four month period.

What is really cool about this piece is that it is a simple concept with an instant impact. The sheer size makes you think about all the waste. Not only that, but she used items readily available and involved her community in the project. Pretty cool.