‘Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it,’ wrote the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius. Over 2,000 years later, as our news feeds reveal overflowing landfills and rubbish-strewn beaches, we’re inclined to believe him. Here we meet those transforming trash into treasure, one plastic bottle at a time. It’s been a year of surprises. In October 2018, jaws dropped around the world when Banksy shredded his £1.04 million ‘Girl With Balloon’ during an auction at Sotheby’s. From the slivers of destroyed canvas, a new piece was born, with the aptly-titled ‘Love is in the Bin’ verified as an original artwork. Its owner enjoyed her self-described “piece of art history”, while the artworld reeled from the stunt’s resounding message: rubbish and art are not mutually exclusive. The idea is of course nothing new – Damien Hirst’s ‘Waste’ (1994) was created using medical waste, while Benjamin Rollins Caldwell’s ‘Binary Chair’ (2011) repurposed old disks and computer hardware. But amidst rising concerns for the environment – the EU target is for UK households to reduce waste by 50% by 2020 – Banksy’s statement was a contemporary reminder that something spectacular can be formed from existing materials.
'Shredding the Girl and Balloon - The Director's half cut' by banksyfilm
FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING 2019 97
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