29 | October | 2020 | Marabelle DeLaurentis

I will be analyzing the shift in integrating trash as art and as a means of advocacy.

We have all heard the saying “one man’s trash is another man’ treasure”. With total municipal solid waste near 267 million tons, there seems to be a lot of trash to go around. The idea of using non-conventional objects as art started in the mid-twentieth century with the abstract movement and the idea of repurposed art. The definition of what is art was being stretched in every way possible to give new meaning and bring about new perspectives on art and life in general. From there, the definition of art changed further to incorporate trash into well respected and high-quality works of art. So, in this project, I want to explore the meaning of art and trash. What makes something art and what do we consider trash. What does this have to do with capitalism and throwaway culture? How can we turn art pieces into advocacy for the environment and continue to make big impacts? What does this say about the increasing awareness about the detrimental effects humans have on the environment?

https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials#:~:text=These%20Facts%20and%20Figures%20are,27%20million%20tons%20were%20composted.