Garbage Conglomerate Theater
September2019
Garbage Construction Sculpture
︎ Platform: 1’x12’x6’
︎ Awning: 14’x25’
︎ Awning Support:5’x12’x6’
GCT was an interactive sculpture made completely
from trash, it hosted several artworks and performances including Trash Talk, FAN
Network, etc.
The artistic reasoning behind the project was a digression from painting beginning with the realization that the production of art must first begin with shopping to gather surfaces and purchase decadent art materials. Not only does the work begin with shopping but the artist will then produce a multitude of failures that will be considered lesser in value than the products originally purchased therefore creating much waste in the pursuit of a certain proficiency. This happens not only in art but in other technical disciplines as well. A system of a standardized quality creates a dichotomy between success and trash.
The attempts towards an ideal of painting caused for a surge of rejected paintings, overwhelming the storage space. However, these canvases made excellent building materials for the Garbage Conglomerate Theater. Over 30 paintings were chopped and resewn together to create a massive awning measuring 14’x 25’.
The platform was contrasted from a repurposed shipping crate used to transport a monumental sculpture to the on-campus gallery. The skeleton which the awning rests on was created by using 12’ long bamboo posts, bamboo is an invasive species and this material was easy to come by.
The location was impossible to obtain by asking permission first so, upon the discovery of an unusual plot of land belonging to the EasyPark lot near the campus construction began at once in a renegade fashion. Upon its discovery, a series of negotiations with increasingly upper level managers began until the theater was sanctioned by the Easy Park staff and permitted to stay temporarily.
Although the location was secured GCT was still victim of theft and as the materials were not proper building materials it was affected by weather as well. Often, when delivering materials at night it would be occupied by residents and in particular the night of Oct 19th, 2019 a disastrous wind storm caused for the awning to set sail and breaking most of the supporting skeleton. Efforts were made to rebuild, and the theatre ran until November 28th,2019. Following the performance The Spirit of Colonialism The awning and support structure vanished and was never seen again. With these essential materials gone, productions halted. In January 2020 a smaller much more modest theater was constructed from paintings being thrown out at the school and this became the site for broadcast purposes of FAN Network.
The artistic reasoning behind the project was a digression from painting beginning with the realization that the production of art must first begin with shopping to gather surfaces and purchase decadent art materials. Not only does the work begin with shopping but the artist will then produce a multitude of failures that will be considered lesser in value than the products originally purchased therefore creating much waste in the pursuit of a certain proficiency. This happens not only in art but in other technical disciplines as well. A system of a standardized quality creates a dichotomy between success and trash.
The attempts towards an ideal of painting caused for a surge of rejected paintings, overwhelming the storage space. However, these canvases made excellent building materials for the Garbage Conglomerate Theater. Over 30 paintings were chopped and resewn together to create a massive awning measuring 14’x 25’.
The platform was contrasted from a repurposed shipping crate used to transport a monumental sculpture to the on-campus gallery. The skeleton which the awning rests on was created by using 12’ long bamboo posts, bamboo is an invasive species and this material was easy to come by.
The location was impossible to obtain by asking permission first so, upon the discovery of an unusual plot of land belonging to the EasyPark lot near the campus construction began at once in a renegade fashion. Upon its discovery, a series of negotiations with increasingly upper level managers began until the theater was sanctioned by the Easy Park staff and permitted to stay temporarily.
Although the location was secured GCT was still victim of theft and as the materials were not proper building materials it was affected by weather as well. Often, when delivering materials at night it would be occupied by residents and in particular the night of Oct 19th, 2019 a disastrous wind storm caused for the awning to set sail and breaking most of the supporting skeleton. Efforts were made to rebuild, and the theatre ran until November 28th,2019. Following the performance The Spirit of Colonialism The awning and support structure vanished and was never seen again. With these essential materials gone, productions halted. In January 2020 a smaller much more modest theater was constructed from paintings being thrown out at the school and this became the site for broadcast purposes of FAN Network.
