'Wearing Change'
Not Only Decoration (NOD) 2019:
4th July to 6th October
Villa Bengel,
Wilhelmstr. 44. 55743
Idar-Oberstein.
Wilhelmstr. 44. 55743
Idar-Oberstein.
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'An eclectic multi disciplinary show at the historic Villa Bengel, the gallery of the historic Jacob Bengel, Art Deco Chain Factory.
This amazing building embodies over 130 years of industrial history of the city of Idar-Oberstein' words sourced from NOD website (with thanks) 
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More about NOD'Not Only Decoration (NOD) is a platform for art and design projects which focus on social and environmental issues.
We are a collective intelligence, a not for profit organisation of individuals and we utilise our skills as jewelers, artists and makers to create meaningful art and design projects. What we make is about issues that seem to be falling through the cracks of society because we have voices and we know how to use them. We are makers from all over the world that create works that are not only decoration and there is always room for more'. |
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My project 'Trash'
TRASH ....
is the stuff you throw away
or just don't want or need anymore ...
it's everywhere ...
We are drowning under piles of it.
It's wrapped around or contains the stuff that we buy to eat or use in our daily lives.
It comes from the stuff lying in our drawers that we bought ...
and we either broke,
went off it,
stopped wearing it,
or eventually stopped playing with it.
Or even that we bought it and never again let it see the light of day.
It ends up in landfill,
charity shops,
thrown into a hedge
or washed up on a beach.
Its ugly,
its wasteful,
it pollutes our lives,
it often depresses us
and
will 'out-live' us and hang around us for millions of years.
BUT ....
it can also be beautiful,
ridiculous,
unique,
fun,
frivolous,
quirky,
bonkers,
and can often make us laugh when transformed into something 'wearable'.
It can become precious and evoke fond memories of
the finding,
the receiving
and the collecting of it.
It can empower us and make us want to question our own and others consumerism.
It can gently show the possibilities of what can be
made,
up-cycled,
and
re-made and ready to go on new adventures with a new owner.
It can be as precious as a diamond ....
and when combined with things
that have a history,
that have their own precious stories,
things you have an emotional attachment to ....
then TRASH ....
becomes priceless.
is the stuff you throw away
or just don't want or need anymore ...
it's everywhere ...
We are drowning under piles of it.
It's wrapped around or contains the stuff that we buy to eat or use in our daily lives.
It comes from the stuff lying in our drawers that we bought ...
and we either broke,
went off it,
stopped wearing it,
or eventually stopped playing with it.
Or even that we bought it and never again let it see the light of day.
It ends up in landfill,
charity shops,
thrown into a hedge
or washed up on a beach.
Its ugly,
its wasteful,
it pollutes our lives,
it often depresses us
and
will 'out-live' us and hang around us for millions of years.
BUT ....
it can also be beautiful,
ridiculous,
unique,
fun,
frivolous,
quirky,
bonkers,
and can often make us laugh when transformed into something 'wearable'.
It can become precious and evoke fond memories of
the finding,
the receiving
and the collecting of it.
It can empower us and make us want to question our own and others consumerism.
It can gently show the possibilities of what can be
made,
up-cycled,
and
re-made and ready to go on new adventures with a new owner.
It can be as precious as a diamond ....
and when combined with things
that have a history,
that have their own precious stories,
things you have an emotional attachment to ....
then TRASH ....
becomes priceless.
My project 'Fragile Earth'
Man upsets me.
The planet is upset by man.
He destroys it with his plastic, his cruelty, his greed.
He is lazy, he discards his ugliness into the beauty.
But I find these things he throws away.
They are not worthless.
They are in themselves beautiful,
They are treasures, they are unique.
They can be turned into things that once more have a life.
They can be turned into things that once more have a meaning and have a job.
They become talking points,
they are noticed,
they are commented upon,
they are thought about and they can make us think.
The fragility of the porcelain fights with the industrial,
it evolves organically as I work it,
a fragility that must be looked after and cared for.
Just like the earth that it evolved from.
They tell me how they want to evolve and I follow.
They are my escapism, my sanity, they give me strength.
They bear the imprint of my fingers, my thoughts, my actions, my dreams.
I won't save the planet by creating them.
I won't solve the plastic landfill mountain by making them.
But I know I'm not adding to the pile of junk that we are drowning under.
I have faith that they will make people question
that
plastic 'must have'
or
that gold trinket they discard.
Like the planet they are beautiful,
and they.....
are precious.....
to me.
The planet is upset by man.
He destroys it with his plastic, his cruelty, his greed.
He is lazy, he discards his ugliness into the beauty.
But I find these things he throws away.
They are not worthless.
They are in themselves beautiful,
They are treasures, they are unique.
They can be turned into things that once more have a life.
They can be turned into things that once more have a meaning and have a job.
They become talking points,
they are noticed,
they are commented upon,
they are thought about and they can make us think.
The fragility of the porcelain fights with the industrial,
it evolves organically as I work it,
a fragility that must be looked after and cared for.
Just like the earth that it evolved from.
They tell me how they want to evolve and I follow.
They are my escapism, my sanity, they give me strength.
They bear the imprint of my fingers, my thoughts, my actions, my dreams.
I won't save the planet by creating them.
I won't solve the plastic landfill mountain by making them.
But I know I'm not adding to the pile of junk that we are drowning under.
I have faith that they will make people question
that
plastic 'must have'
or
that gold trinket they discard.
Like the planet they are beautiful,
and they.....
are precious.....
to me.
