One night while walking home I came across a stack of newspapers left out on the street to be picked up the
following morning as trash. Since I use discarded newspapers in my artwork I naturally stopped and started to
go through to see which ones I wanted to take back to my studio. While going through them I came across a
box of books next to them. I hadn't really thought of using books as well but decided to take them also. I kept
them in my studio for a while thinking about how I'd use them. The first thing I did was rip off all of the covers
so as not to distract people with the title. After that I started dyeing them with coffee and bound some of them
together with either rope or wire.
Some of these book stacks remained just that way and I thought that I would display them on a pedestal
whenever I wanted to exhibit them. One day, however, I came across some wood in my studio that I had also
found on the street and wondered what they would look like if I displayed them as books on an actual shelf.
The result is the following artworks that you see here.
I constantly pick things up on the street and take them back to my studio. Sometimes I find use for them right
away and other times they sit in my studio until the time is right. All of the books and wood used in these
artworks I simply call, "Bookshelves" were also found on the street.
I never go out "hunting" for materials because I believe you'll never find something that way. For me the most
exciting thing is just going about my daily business and if I come across something I have to immediately
decide if I can use it or not. Often the rush is so exhilarating that I can't wait to go back to my studio and start
using what I've found.
"One's person trash is another man's treasure" certainly rings true for me and vice versa when I sell my
artwork.
BOOKSHELF IV
11 x 69 x 35cm
BOOKS & WOOD
2011
following morning as trash. Since I use discarded newspapers in my artwork I naturally stopped and started to
go through to see which ones I wanted to take back to my studio. While going through them I came across a
box of books next to them. I hadn't really thought of using books as well but decided to take them also. I kept
them in my studio for a while thinking about how I'd use them. The first thing I did was rip off all of the covers
so as not to distract people with the title. After that I started dyeing them with coffee and bound some of them
together with either rope or wire.
Some of these book stacks remained just that way and I thought that I would display them on a pedestal
whenever I wanted to exhibit them. One day, however, I came across some wood in my studio that I had also
found on the street and wondered what they would look like if I displayed them as books on an actual shelf.
The result is the following artworks that you see here.
I constantly pick things up on the street and take them back to my studio. Sometimes I find use for them right
away and other times they sit in my studio until the time is right. All of the books and wood used in these
artworks I simply call, "Bookshelves" were also found on the street.
I never go out "hunting" for materials because I believe you'll never find something that way. For me the most
exciting thing is just going about my daily business and if I come across something I have to immediately
decide if I can use it or not. Often the rush is so exhilarating that I can't wait to go back to my studio and start
using what I've found.
"One's person trash is another man's treasure" certainly rings true for me and vice versa when I sell my
artwork.
BOOKSHELF IV
11 x 69 x 35cm
BOOKS & WOOD
2011
