“Trash Towers” - Artist’s Statement

My “Trash Tower” sculptures, made with recycled trash and paint were inspired by sustainable art and architecture that I have discovered on my travels, such as: Japanese Boro – textiles, made from recycled fabric that has been patched or mended; Houses in Fustat, Egypt built by garbage collectors with clay, broken pots and oil cans; and the architecture in Phonsavan, Laos made from recycled missile and bomb casings. The use of these throwaway, mundane materials to create beautiful textiles and dwellings, I find both inventive and heroic.

In creating the “Trash Towers”, recycled materials were obtained from a community trash pick-up, personal trash, and discarded cardboard shipping materials. Their painted surfaces both conceal and reveal the archeology of cultural debris, as materials and process are exposed through transparent layers of paint. The sculptures suggest architectural forms while also having anthropomorphic associations. Intentionally placed off-kilter, these forms, when in dialogue with one another, create visual conversations about balance, connection and interrelationships, implying a wide range of metaphoric associations.

Julia A. Coash

Julia A. Coash