Everyday Objects as Art

Capturing the results of the current exhibition at Portland’s Museum of Contemporary Craft is a new book, "ManufRactured - The Conspicuous Transformation of Everyday Objects." The exhibit showcases the works of artists who have ingeniously repurposed everyday, even mundane, objects into incredible displays of art.

Dominic Wilcox’s War Bowls display his interpretation of the Battle of Waterloo, Zulu War and English Civil War. Who would think of melted plastic soldiers as art? Boris Bally’s "Man in Stereo" platters come from repurposed traffic signs.

Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardattir’s fantastical wearable sculptures are woven from both natural and artificial hair. Selections from Mitra Fabian’s "Proliferation" Series present luminous vessels built up from the careful layering of Scotch tape. Jerry Bleem’s pieces gain their texture from the layering of thousands of staples, obscuring the structural material beneath.

"Ficciones de un uso" by Livia Marin, an arc of over an unbelievable display of 2000 lipsticks, each unique in color and sculpted form. "Mines" and "Grand Magasin" by Ragis Mayot represent two different results of the careful application of X-Acto knife to industrially-produced plastic bottles. Sonya Clark combed the earth to create her combs as structure and textile. Devorah Sperber’s installations use manufactured cast-off—spools in one case, marker caps in the other with resultant pixelated images. Who would think there would be beauty in packaging materials? Jason Rogenes’ curiously gorgeous EPS foam insert sculptures are just that. Once again we see the fabulosity that comes from one man’s trash and turns into another’s treasure.