Luxurious Riffraff

I spent almost three months collecting garbage from the recycling center near where I live, choosing the items by color, shape and original function. Since most people in Shanghai don't separate their garbage from their recyclables, the recyclables were often filthy. I had to sterilize them before assembling them into the installation. Washing and cleaning the garbage has become a process of creation and also self-education. Following the sorting and cleaning, I strung the items together using thin wire ropes of different lengths and hung them from the ceiling in the middle of the gallery space (Art Labour gallery). It looked like a colorful “chandelier” from a distance. And since the gallery has two big windows it generated a lot of attention from passers-by during the exhibition – one person even found one of their own previously discarded belongings!

Installation

Recycled plastic, metal, acrylic ball and metal wire, Dimension variable

2008