July's Featured Artist + Resource 07/03/2009
 Trash, an Alphabet City Media book edited by John Knechtel and published in 2007 is an almost pocket-sized book in which artists, writers and filmmakers look at how we are defined by what we waste. Trash surveys a terrain that ranges from micro (a typology of dust bunnies) to macro (studies of landfill design and the trashed space of urban brownfield sites). It investigates the logic of trash as it is applied to humans and looks at lives intimately dependent on trash, delving into electronic waste, Nick Cave's Sound Suits, the abducted girls of Juarez and a futuristic portrayal of zero-waste cities in China.  Since 1998, American artist Michael Rakowitz (b. 1973) has collaborated with homeless people and worked with readily available materials including plastic bags, polyurethane tubes, hooks and tape to build inflatable shelters. This project, known as paraSITE, has had prototypes installed in urban environments of Baltimore, Boston, and New York City. ParaSITE has been exhibited by MoMA and MassMOCA. ParaSITE's structures are custom designed as shelters for homeless people. They attach to the exterior outtake vents of a building's HVAC (Heating, Ventalation, and Air Conditioning) system. Appropriating the HVAC system on existing architecture, warm air leaving the building simultaneously inflates and heats the structures. Building and distributing these temporary structures that have lead to much civic debate, examination of the fine print in certain city laws, and the occasional involvement of law enforcement, Rakowitz offers neither a solution to homelessness, nor a cynical social commentary. ParaSITE instead reminds us that art may of course be functional, impact and benefit individuals outside the gallery's white walls, and engage communities, provoking thought around a serious issue present on the streets of every city. Rakowitz currently teaches in the Department of Arts, Theory and Practice at Northwestern University. You can learn more about paraSITE and other works by Michael Rakowitz at http://rakowitz.reticular.info/. -Lisa Add Comment Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer – welcome to warm weather and vacations! I’m sure many of you are heading out to the beach or on other weekend getaways and what better thing to bring along but a few unread books. Instead of heading to a bookstore that sells new books why not head to one of the areas fantastic used bookstores? Not only can you find the same books at cheaper prices, but these used book exchanges and stores are the ultimate way to reuse and recycle old reading material! Just browsing the shelves can occupy an entire rainy afternoon, as you search for an out-of-print edition or discover a long-forgotten childhood picture book. There is an exciting element to perusing used books – you never know what you might find! Head out to one of these local favorites this weekend (or stop by on your lunch hour, as I am prone to do). | About STUFF
STUFF is a community organization in Richmond, Virginia.
The mission of Stuff is to provide Richmond with a community space for creative reuse, education, environmental awareness, and fun stuff. The vision of Stuff is to become the first community destination for art and reuse supplies and educational materials in Richmond. Stuff operates under the following core values: Filling the education gap with Stuff; learning goes beyond the classroom. Stuff happens; spontaneity breeds creativity. It's more than just stuff; there is value in our trash. Taking responsibility for our stuff; we have an obligation to reuse. Stuff brings us together; community is rooted in cooperation. ArchivesAugust 2010 |
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