Plastic Waste Polychrome
Ellen Ringstad. Detail of Plastic Waste Polychrome (2011), still in the making, consisting of layer upon layer of the artist's own plastic waste.
Have you been following my blog? If so, you may have noticed how concerned I am with waste. This concern is best exemplified through my ongoing dialogue and occasional quarrels with Waste Line, who is, much to her misfortune, literally a line of waste. Contrary to popular belief, Waste Line has numerable questions about her origins and wherabouts in life, which is more than can be said about certain humans individuals.
You might be surprised to read that my intentions with waste are not entirely based on environmental idealism. This waste frenzy was likely triggered by a not-so-admirable intention: capital; or rather lack thereof. In order to make art, a poor student like myself desperately needs materials, preferably without paying much for them. Come to think of it, it must have started earlier because I remember how my Grandmother, who lived and survived the two great wars on this continent, saved all sorts of materials and then turned them into new, smart things. Perhaps it is her fault that I’ve been collecting all kind of useless stuff, “just in case”. It seems both my grandmother and I have a lot in common with squirrels.
At least my grandmother made useful stuff, while I make art. However, I believe there is an important message in this kind of artistic expression. Found materials automatically say something about the society in which we live. As reflected citizens, one must inevitably raise the inconvenient questions about the way we live. How will our patterns of consumption affect the future? My grandmother, like so many others of her generation, learned the hard way. I’m trying to learn from her so I’ll be prepared for tougher times.
The photograph above is a detail of my new painting in the making, entitled Plastic Waste Polychrome, which will be approximately 300x200cm. It will be made entirely of my own melted plastic waste reminiscent of Waste Lines gone by, reminding me of just much how much I consume. It also references the works of Robert Rauschenberg.
Waste Line suffers from bizarre mood disorder
Waste Line - Day 3
It was late in the afternoon already when I noticed the sound of light drizzle drumming on the window. That’s when I remembered Waste Line. Such is the menace of chaotic souls, indifferent to all but themselves. I looked out…she was still there! The wind had not blown her away yet. I hurried to the porch and much to my surprise I found her in a splendid mood; my absence had gone unnoticed. True, at first she had felt somewhat crispy from the cold, but after a while she had forgotten all about it. As a matter of fact, the moment she had come to terms with the situation, she quietly embraced the solitude: there was so much to see, to hear, to smell, to feel; countless impressions to digest! She realized that her life until present time had been such a waste!
- “Please forgive me, Waste Line, I never intended to leave you out in the cold all by yourself,” I mumbled.
- “Don’t worry about it, I forgot all about you too”. I could swear she blinked, but it was only the light breeze catching the cardboard box. Had I arrived only seconds later, she might have been dispersed, for only a fine line separates life from death. For the sake of my own sanity, I promptly erased that thought.
- “I must remove the old waste and feed you fresh new waste. I should also move you indoors before the wind gains momentum. Besides I wouldn’t want you trashing my neighbourhood” I took Waste Line carefully in my arms, carrying her over the threshold, but ignoring the symbolism.
- “Well, who am I to refuse the temptation of fresh waste” She paused for a while as I carefully lined her up. “My first memory is that of a production line”, she continued, “After the sky cleared up yesterday I noticed some mesmerizing light dots in the sky, and they felt so familiar. Maybe it was déjà-vu, but for some reason it connected me to my ancestors. Most of my life, before ending up as waste, I spent long hours in dark storage spaces, struggling to survive the boredom, arguing with other products about who was entitled to the best spot, then fighting for attention on supermarket shelves. Had I known how quickly the New becomes Old, I would have stepped out of the limelight sooner and spent more time reflecting upon where I was headed. Anyway, thank you for sharing the beautiful view with me. Most people would simply toss me away. But enough about that, I want to learn more about you. Why are you so determined to measure and weigh me? You never paid me any attention before?”
She was much heavier now and surprisingly long; barely fitting into my apartment. How could it be? I dismantled her again and carried her up to the attic where there was plenty of space, or so I thought. Even with a wide-angled lens, I had no choice but to divide her in three equal lines to get all of her into one single photograph. Sadly this made her feel self-conscious and fat.
- “Well, Waste Line, here’s the thing: I am attempting a consumption diet, in order to reduce my waste line, as well as my waistline. The first step is determining just how much I consume. The second step is figuring out just how much it is possible to cut down, especially on product packaging”.
“So you want to get rid of me already, just when we were getting to know each-other? First you forget I exist and NOW YOU PLAN TO ELIMINATE ME?!!!”
I was surprised by her unexpected mood change. Her desperate attempt to fish for sympathy by calling attention to my neglect earlier was alarming and quite unfavourable. I would not fall for such a cheap trick, for once forgiveness is offered, it cannot be taken back. Although I empathized with her divided self, she was obviously no longer capable of a serious conversation, which is why I decided to leave her alone. She clearly had some issues to work on, which in my experience are better resolved in solitude.
As I left the attic, she yelled “And it’s not my fault I’m overweight today. It’s genetic!”
Waste Line, Day 3
Waste Line, Day 3
WASTE LINE, DAY 3
Length: 6,9m
Weight: 444g
- About Waste Line: Each day the narrator's personal non-organic waste is lined up, photographed, weighed and measured for the sake of art. Waste Line is literally the story of a line of waste, who is just as concerned with her own origins and wherabouts in life as the rest of us. This tentative project is based on the conceptual and dynamic art piece conceived by the Norwegian artist Rasmus Hungnes, which was inspired by Ellen Ringstad’s organic waistline. Coincidentally, the author of the story is Ellen Ringstad herself. You can follow and contribute to his open-source project on the blog http://waste-line.tumblr.com. Read more about their collaborative project on this post. All related posts can be found here.
Waste Line has an existential crisis
- “I had no idea I was so small”, she said, gazing at the fjords.
- “The sky is clearing up”, I told her, “so you won’t have to be buried in snow anymore”.
But she paid me no attention, already feeling the burden of knowledge. What’s the point? Where do I come from? Where am I headed?
- “It is about time I found out” she said
- “What about?” I replied
- “Lineage. My lineage”.
Waste Line, Day 2
Waste Line, Day 2, detail
WASTE LINE, DAY 2
Weight: 116g
Length: 128cm
- About Waste Line: Each day the narrator's personal non-organic waste is lined up, photographed, weighed and measured for the sake of art. Waste Line is literally the story of a line of waste, who is just as concerned with her own origins and wherabouts in life as the rest of us. This tentative project is based on the conceptual and dynamic art piece conceived by the Norwegian artist Rasmus Hungnes, which was inspired by Ellen Ringstad’s organic waistline. Coincidentally, the author of the story is Ellen Ringstad herself. You can follow and contribute to his open-source project on the blog http://waste-line.tumblr.com. Read more about their collaborative project on this post. All related posts can be found here.
Waste Line, Day 1
My Waste Line, Day 1, is 172 cm long and weighs 540 grams. If I substract all organic matter (334 g), which will go back to nature quickly enough, it only weighs 206 g. I suspect the weight readings are incorrect, because, as shown in the photographs, it was snowing, and therefore the items gained more weight.
Waste Line - DAY 1 - Detail
WASTE LINE, DAY 1
Length:172cm
(Total weight, 540g) – (Organic matter, 334g)= 206g*
*Although Organic matter indeed is considered waste, it is substracted from the equation, because it decays quickly enough. Accurate readings of my total organic waste is therefore considered irrelevant to this project, and would be hard to measure anyway. The artist (I) is (am) considering removing organic matter from my Waste Line, starting tomorrow, instead of rejecting the whole project as false. According to Dr. Donald E. Simanek, “Science progresses by making mistakes, correcting the mistakes, then moving on to other matters. If we stopped making mistakes, scientific progress would stop“(1). Same is true with art.
Note: Waste Line is a conceptual and dynamic art piece conceived by Bergen-based artist Rasmus Hungnes. You can follow and contribute to his open-source project on http://waste-line.tumblr.com. Read more about this project on this post.
- Sources: (1) Simanek, Donald E. The Scientific Method. Available online from URL: http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scimeth.htm [Downloaded 2011-01-13].
The crisis in consumerism
I was jogging nowhere on a treadmill whilst staring into a televison screen, nervously swapping between channels, in desperate search for something that would turn my attention away from the other sweaty emotionless people in the gym so I could avoid that eary feeling of meaninglessness. I was thinking “one step at a time” for a whole hour already, but my new trainers were pressing hard on my poor little toes. Suddenly a documentary popped up on the screen: Shop ’til you drop – the crisis of consumerism. Oh, I love the irony! Here I am joging on a plastic/rubber thing inside an air-conditioned prison, when I should have been out in nature breathing fresh air. Then and there I decided to let my feet walk nowhere a little longer just to get some valuable food for thought. Here’s the trailer:
“Is the Western world too materialistic? Are we willfully trashing the planetary ecology in order to serve the desires and drives of the ego? And what, or who could be driving this powerful force of seduction? “Shop ‘Til You Drop” takes a critical look at social injustice, peak oil, resource depletion and our deep need to feel connected to each other through what we choose to consume. This unique documentary also examines the frenzied pace of fast-lane materialism that is beginning to burn us out. We are just now beginning to yearn for a simpler life, but is it too late? Have we set in motion a runaway train that threatens to undermine the ecological, social and spiritual cornerstones that make the pursuit of happiness possible in the first place?”
My poor feet did not do well after I stepped off the treadmill, the toenails on both my pinky toes have now turned blue. For a long time I believed I would have to amputate. But it was worth it.
PS: If you live in Norway, this documentary is available online on nrk.no only until 19-01-2011 from URL http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/693996/. Should you have any suggestions as to oher places where it can be found in full on the internet, please leave a comment! Thank you.
