transFORMation

Art Made from Recycled and Reused Materials

Traveling throughout Bucks County September 2009 - June 2011

Humble, tossed away materials like broken toys, tin cans, milk cartons, plastic bags, wood scraps and cake boxes can find new life through the artist’s creativity. In transFORMation: Art Made from Recycled and Reused Materials, Artmobile elevates America's cast off trash to museum treasures. This timely exhibition includes wired and welded assemblages, sculptures made from olive oil cans, dolls made of old tools, books made from cake mix boxes, as well as masks, musical instruments and furniture made of found wood and objects.  transFORMation makes connections with all curricular areas – language arts and literacy, math, science, social studies and, of course, the arts. The recycled books on display will link book arts and recycling to literacy. Functional objects made from recycled materials like purses made of plastic bags will also be displayed. Cultural aspects of recycling will be explored, as well as the differences and similarities between how folk artists and fine artists use these materials. Finally, students will develop a keener understanding of ecology through reusing, reducing and recycling objects as they discover design and meaning in art.

A trained, professional Artmobile Educator meets each class and gives a 45-60 minute presentation geared to their grade level. (Kindergarten classes may only require 30 minutes.) Educators’ presentations help students to understand what they are seeing and encourage student dialogue about the art. Hands-on, interactive displays, a vital part of every Artmobile exhibition, reinforce the concepts presented by the Educator. Through them, students have opportunities to experiment with the each principle presented and deepen their understanding.