Waste isn’t Waste Until We Waste It: Recycled Art

Preface: Portfolio by Janiece Pacheco entitled “Waste isn’t Waste Until We Waste It: Recycled Art”. I will be using a CC BY-ND 4.0 creative license for this portfolio.

Introduction: My portfolio is about the beauty of recycled art. Recycled art is creative work, whether it be murals, sculptures, clothing or architecture, that was made from material someone else once saw as trash. The materials are taken and reused to create something beautiful. Not only is recycled art nice to look at but it also benefits the Earth, helping animals and humans live healthier, safer lives. Recycled art has been around for centuries, beginning with clothing that was up-cycled from different materials.

Theme: Though all by different artist, two themes showcased within all 3 works are preserving the environment and beauty standards. Preserving the environment is the first theme because all of the artist used material that was already made and used. This prevents the “trash” from polluting water sources, the air and the streets. It also prevents from new materials being opened, used then discarded and thrown onto a big heaping pile of poison to the planet. Many, if not all endangered species, are endangered due to the negligence of the human race. There are places in the world that breathe in smog everyday, and places that lack fresh, clean water sources. By using waste material to create are, artist are in return doing their part of slowly bettering the planet. The second theme is “beauty standards”. By this I mean, something one would view as useless, trash is viewed as potential art work to someone else. These artist work hard to turn waste into masterpieces.

Analysis:                                                                                                                  –Plant Wall:  The first picture is made of a wire bed frame, that was then used to hold succulents. I think the artist did a great job of not only using recycled material but incorporation plants, which we all know are beneficial to the environment. Double win!                                                      – Sea Turtle: The beautiful turtle piece is made with pieces of metal and plastic. I think the meaning behind it is powerful. The turtle and it’s environment are built with the trash that is killing them and polluting their water.                                                                                                                      – Recycled House: The house captured in the last picture is not just any house. It is entirely made of recycled material. It amazes me how someone was able to build an entire house out of used material. That is the true definition of nothing goes to waste.