Lattice Works: Turning Trash to Treasure

Every year, the San Francisco City Dump selects various local Bay Area artists for its coveted Recology Artist in Residence program. If chosen, the artists are granted every dumpster diver’s dream: 24-hour access to 44 acres of recycling facilities and public disposal areas — aka the Transfer Station, aka the dump. Each artist is given a stipend and works on site for 4 months, combing the grounds for workable materials. At the end of the residency the dump holds a reception, and the results are almost always intriguing. One guy even spun records he pulled from the refuse. From trash to treasures!
To date, my favorite work has come from Barbara Holmes, a woodworker, sculptor, and teacher who spent her residency making, among other things, these intricate geometric forms out of reclaimed lattice. There’s something magical that happens in the tonal gaps where the wood once crisscrossed. Be sure to check out her blog, re(f)use, where she documented her process and the show. Read about this year’s recipients at Art Slant. And if you’re in the area, come check it out! The first shows will be held on May 14 and 15, 2010. [via Teagan Tall]