Work of Art Spring 2014 Art & Garbage Artists Statement Delivery, Kenneth Lamborn, 2014 Glass Bottles, Paper, Wood, Wax, Plastic, Soil, Sticks, Twine According to the Container Recycling Institute, the United States recycled only 33 percent of its glass bottles in 2010. Countries like Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands achieved percentages over 90% thanks to distribution and recollection mandates for corporations at the federal level, proving that the days of modern waste handling are upon us, but that much of the world is hesitating to follow suit. It was these statistics that inspired me to create Delivery. Knowing that the technology exists to make use almost all of the materials we waste is frustrating considering how little actions is being taken to employ it into our modern societies. When I saw the pile of glass bottles in my own recycling bin, I pictured them awkwardly shoved into the soil along with a hodgepodge of other non-decomposing materials. It was a sad mental image, but one that I felt important to recreate. My work itself is a small, decorative object made from all waste or organic material. The funny thing about my project is that its still garbage. It has no use. These objects are as uncomfortably put together as they would be in a landfill, but the presentation of my piece evokes a vase or centerpiece. From the perspective of an art historian, perhaps Delivery reminds the viewer of Marcel Duchamps assisted readymades, works of art created from found objects and assembled into new objects. His readymades made the viewer think about the object they were viewing in a whole new way, and I like to think that is what my little sculpture does as well. That is, in fact, the formal aspect of my work that interests me so much. As I state just above, my little sculpture is just trashnothing more than a decorative item that could be tossed out tomorrow. The shape, form, and color make it something that could be displayed in a home or office window. This contradiction is beautiful. It confuses the viewer, and helps them to both intellectually and emotionally engage with the piece before them. Moving towards the future, Delivery proves that as we move into the modern world of our dreams, we can draw inspiration from past artists (such as Duchamp, in my case) to create works that send a message appropriate for our times. The technology is there for humans to do almost anything, including restoring our planet for future generations. But alas, humans do love to ignore their problems.