OBJCT Gallery

 

Re-Appropriate: Thinking Beyond Appropriation
OBJCT Gallery invites you to experience our latest exhibition addressing the intersection between art and design. The concept of reusing or recycling objects or readymades into art is not new;Marcel Duchamp introduced the idea of the readymade as a way to combat the notion of art, rendering objects useless from their original intent. 

The term appropriation refers to the idea of borrowing, re-using or reclaiming castoffs of material society, incorporating them into the design process to create new, and in the case here, useful objects. In the context of this exhibition this re-appropriation is considered to be an appropriate reuse of unwanted or discarded items. Reuse is often confused with recycling, but they are really quite different. (Even those engaged in reuse frequently refer to it as recycling.) Reuse in the broadest sense means any activity that lengthens the life of an object. Recycling, on the other hand, is the reprocessing of an item into a new raw material for use in a new product. 

What we are experiencing currently is a shift in how artists and designers are contemplating the reuse of objects or materials as not just a way to represent a concept or idea but as a vehicle to reflect on issues that are larger and outside of the basic realm of art and design. Issues of sustainability and environmental consciousness are beginning to infiltrate these art/design elements with the intention of rendering “new” objects that are useful as well as appropriate in terms of social responsibility.

Re-Appropriate looks at innovative ways in which artists and designers are responding to and commenting on discarded materials and consumer waste by creating new objects or artworks that utilize the re-use of such materials. The planned obsolescence that our society has fostered has not only resulted in significant harm to our environment but helped to create an artificial and materialistic viewpoint that ultimately degrades our sense of value. The artists and designers represented here address such issues through their work.

We are especially pleased to include furniture from discarded toys that garnered Greg Lynn the coveted golden lion award for the best installation project in the international exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Cassandra Tondro creates paintings using paint that has either been discarded at hazardous waste dumps or are mistakes at Big Box home improvement stores. Castor Designcreates beautiful light fixtures from burned out bulbs. Lisa Segal encases palm fronds in plaster to create sensual sculptures. All of the participants in this exhibition offer inspiration to the mundane and create value and innovation from unwanted materials.

Artists represented in this exhibition include: 

Castor Designs - Brian Richer and Kei Ng. 
Arthur Comings
Gabrial Gonzales
Tim Hemstreet
Greg Lynn
Kimberly McKinnis
Lisa Segal
Sam Tanis
Cassandra Tondro

Performance by Adder

During the January 9th Second Saturday Artwalk OBJCT Gallery is pleased to present a performance by Adder. Behind a barrage of electronic instruments/synthesizers/samplers this composer resurrects an array of sounds from Dixieland to disco and the psychedelic 60s. Weaving in and out of original remixes to improvisational piano playing. Lyrically spitting socio-philosophical lines sarcastically ranting about the speed of life where it is a battle in a technological age to remain organic (human as possible). It's deep, it’s thoughtful; this is evolution. The set is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.