AURORA ROBSON: THE TIDE IS HIGH / Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art / Oct 20 - Dec 9
This month I had the opportunity to assist Aurora Robson and the Halsey team with the installation of The Tide is High. I am a huge fan of installations, as well as art that raises awareness to social and environmental issues. Robson's work merges the two in a way that is both aesthetically and conceptually intriguing.
"As an artist who explores ecological issues, she creates lively and intricate sculptures from plastic debris, transforming quotidian waste into aesthetic objects of beauty and reflection. Under her meticulous manipulation, the plastic materials she uses in her works take on an organic quality, thus connecting back to nature. Many of her works take on forms that resemble the otherworldly organisms that exist on ocean floors; in this way, her work is further associated with the sea, which is often the ultimate repository for plastic waste. Her works reference a legacy of using found objects as media for sculpture, and by transforming everyday trash into works of art, her sculpture forces viewers to consider their own relationship with plastic materials and waste."
- Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art
This site-specific installation is of great importance to Charleston in particular because of our close relationship with surrounding coastal ecosystems. We have a responsibility to take care of this land, to cultivate a lifestyle of sustainability, and to educate ourselves in pursuit of a zero-waste future. My hope is that this installation raises awareness to the issues not only in our own city, but all over the world.
Thank you to Aurora Robson, The Halsey Institute of Art, and the College of Charleston for investing in the future of this city through meaningful and beautiful art. Please take the opportunity to view SEA CHANGE featuring Aurora Robson: The Tide is High and Chris Jordan: Midway, on view October 20 - December 9, 2017.