Veteran Indian artist Vivan Sundaram, in his second solo show at Walsh Gallery, gives us a closer look at TRASH in his multimedia exhibition. The exhibit opens Friday, September 11, from 5-8 pm. The artist will be present at the opening reception.

TRASH features large scale photos and videos based on a constructed city of trash that the artist made in 20 x 60 feet of his studio space. Working with wastepickers, the trash was literally unloaded by truckfuls into his studio. Many of the photos have a disorienting spatial quality since they are based on digital constructions from the material shot in the installation.

Mr. Sundaram wishes to draw attention to not only the amount of trash generated by the new urban middle class and elite, but also to draw attention to the fact that these wastepickers work all hours to sort, sift, and recycle all the trash generated.

As Mr. Sundaram says: It’s a huge industry that is part of our landscape. You can’t wish it away, just as you can’t wish away the poor. The urban middle upper class, rather than turn away from the garbage they generate, must face the reality of the people outside their gated colonies.

In Mr. Sundaram’s video Turning, the trash becomes almost personified. Bottle caps, parts of toys and plastic, empty soda cans, all are elements of the huge towers. The wind blows down the towers and then they are recreated. If trash can be beautiful, Mr. Sundaram has found a way to make it just that.