The modern American waste stream is epic. That cuts both ways. I remember that solid waste was the first environmental issue I became aware of and thank my parents for supporting me exploring that concern. I have a vivid memory much later of an unintended detour in the aftermath of a coup into a neighborhood in Lagos were people were hand sorting a giant heap of waste. Across the world, landfills are similarly mined by the poorest in society. There is a lot of plastic waste escaping from them, ultimately into the environment, and subsequently into our bodies too.
In Portland, the Oregon Metro is responsible for solid waste. And here, as in many other cities, artists mine the waste stream to make art. Artist Chris Jordan http://www.chrisjordan.com/ is another artist documenting waste, and in his wide shot photographs and movie Albatross. http://www.albatrossthefilm.com/
This year's GLEAN artists are Epiphany Couch, Mai Ide, Diane Jacobs, Chris Lael Larson, and Marsha Mack. Their show of the result opens this evening.
GLEAN artists www.gleanportland.com at 322 NW 8th 5PM-8 Free.
