The Center for Visual Art in Denver is currently hosting "Sequesterings," an exhibition featuring ten artists who transform discarded materials into sculptures . running through October 24, the show uses post-industrial plastics to comment on environmental degradation.
Thousands of Pallet Straps and Mylar Balloons in Denver
The exhibit showcases a wide variety of unconventional materials that have been repurposed into high-concept art. Aurora Robson has constructed a massive piece titled Herbalist and Alchemist, I, which utilizes thousands of woven plastic pallet straps. This sprawling white wall sculpture is composed of thousands of straps, woven together to resemble an oversized blanket , highlighting the intense labor required to transform waste into something beautiful.
Similarly, Natalya Khorover’s Mylar Miasma series repurposes discarded balloons into shape-shifting quilts. As the source reports, these balloons often retain celebratory messages such as "Happy Birthday," with their dangling strings serving as a stark reminder of consumer excess. the contrast between the festive origins of the materials and their new, somber forms provides a central tension within the gallery.
Twyla Exner and Ian Trask Reimagining Industrial Waste
Other artists in the collection use more technical or industrial debris to build their complex structures.. The exhibition includes several diverse works, such as:
- Twyla Exner’s Thing 5: A piece that utilizes old telephone wires to create a structure resembling coral or an octopus.
- Ian Trask’s Molecule series: Three-dimensional forms that mimic scientific atomic models using synthetic leather, dominoes, and chopsticks.
- Pamela Posey Moulton’s sculptures: Fantastical wall hangings created from abandoned fishing gear.
These works are displayed within the CVA’s Santa Fe Drive space, a gallery characterized by high ceilings and concrete floors. The minimalist, white-cube setting allows the bright yellows, blues, and golds of the single-use plastics to pop against the colorless walls, ensuring the medium remains the focal point.
Cecily Cullen and Aurora Robson's Vision of Aesthetic Scavenging
The exhibition is more than a display of craft; it is a deliberate act of environmental activism... Co-curators Cecily Cullen and Aurora Robson describe the participating artists as "aesthetic scavengers" who act as environmental stewards.. According to the exhibition's curators, the goal is to provide a counter-narrative to the modern culture of mass production and over-consumption.
By investing significant time and artistry into unwanted materials, the artists attempt to shift the viewer's perception of what constitutes "waste." This approach places the exhibit within a broader movement of eco-conscious art that seeks to force viewers to conront the permanence of items typically labeled as "single-use."
What remains unverified about the waste's origins?
While the visual impact of the waste is clear, several specific details regarding the materials remain unknown. The report does not specify the total weight or volume of plastic diverted from landfills for this specific show, nor does it detail the exact chemical composition of the "post-industrial" plastics involved. Furthermore, while the artists address the concept of waste, it is unclear if the exhibit is intended to spark specific policy changes or if the focus remains purely on aesthetic reflection.
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