The notion that 'not anything is art, but art can be made from anything' provided me with the conceptual framework and motivation to explore a series of artistic experiments in which I repurposed different materials that were abundant in my house, supermarket and/or town. These materials and substrates or support included:
1) newspaper (from my weekend subscription to the New York Times)
2) paper bags from Whole Food Supermarket
3) paper bags from Lowes
4) packaging cardboard from COSTCO
5) old, unused and discarded wood doors
Accompanying materials and supplies included, acrylic and industrial paints, paper tape, glue and paper rolls from IKEA.
Art Exhibit 1. Rolled newspaper was used as substrate for an abstract painting with acrylic, and melted crayons. The interesting thing about this experiment is the volume given by the rolled newspaper glued to a paper support on the back that could be rolled around a wood rod for hanging. Created at the beginning of the pandemic, March-April of 2020. Dimensions: 1.85 meters x 0.56 meters.
Art Exhibit 2. A combination of IKEA paper roll with newspaper and old written notes from my personal diary while a graduate student at Rutgers University were glued together to create the canvas / support. Visual elements were painted with acrylic paint. The interesting aspect of the artistic experiment is that I created it at the end of 2019 and finished it on December-31. As I was decluttering my files and notes, I decided to let go all my written thoughts since 2006, when I just arrived to Rutgers University from Japan, where I concluded my Master's thesis at Tsukuba University. The notes on the paper are still legible in Spanish and English. Visual elements were painted mostly by me, with input from my daughter and wife as well. The big words on the painting: DEJALO IR AHORA (LET IT GO NOW) allude to the feeling I was experiencing at the end of the year to let my past go so I can have room in my life for new things to come. Dimensions: 2.7 meters x 2.1 meters. In the picture: Jusleine Daniel (right) and Milena Calvino (left).
Art Exhibit 3. In the town were I live, there is 'big garbage day' on a regular basis. Neighbors put their old furniture pieces outside for pick up. During May of 2019, I found and collected two old doors that I repurposed as canvas for art. In this image the door symbolizes a portal to new things. The image was accompanied by a short poem I wrote when posted on my Facebook account. Dimensions: 1.82 meters x 0.75 meters.
Art Exhibit 4. Abstract paintings on packaging cardboard obtained from COSTCO. The abundance of cardboard material allowed me to experiment freely when painting. The different textures on the cardboard and the degrees of brown color on the background stimulated me to paint freely without worries. Created during 2019. Dimensions variable.
Art Exhibit 5. Abstract painting in which I created the canvas / support with newspaper, paper bags from Whole Food Supermarket and Lowes, rolled paper from IKEA and paper tape. Painted with industrial paint. Dimensions: 2.7 meters x 2.1 meters.
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