Ptolemy Elrington
UK artist Ptolemy Elrington scours the sides of highways for lost hubcaps to use as the main material in his gorgeous aquatic inspired sculptures. Made from common highway flotsam, Elrington cuts, adds and bends to form memorable sculptures that have found homes all over the world.
“I come across many things which have been abandoned and find something more in them than their intrinsic worthlessness.” Ptolemy Elrington is an artist based in the coastal city of Brighton, and his sculptures explore the damage caused by unsustainable resources. In using found objects from manufactured products, such as shopping trolleys or car hub caps, Erlington opens up a vital dialogue about the impact of waste on our environment.
Wim Delvoye
Belgium artist, Wim Delvoye has used all sorts of materials in his art from tattoos to excrement. In his tire series, he used old car tires which he then intricately carved with delicate patterns. The heavy objects take on the feeling of being highly fragile and valuable.
Belgian artist Wim Delvoye is famed for his transformation of used objects into spectacular artworks. For his series on tires, Delvoye carved delicate floral and organic patterns into different tires. Although the tires kept their original circular shape, the result looked like it was made from cast metal or carved wood. Delvoye also uses metal, steel caps, or even dump trucks to turn his works into precious lace-like shells.
Recycle Art
Today, more people are seeking to shrink their carbon footprints. Some artists have gone as far as to create artistic pieces that demonstrate the impact a person’s carbon footprint has on the world. These pieces are usually jarring observers and catch the eye of, particularly environmentally friendly collectors. Art can literally change the world.
Recycled art can be made of many different materials used in creative ways:
- Discarded glass bottles can be broken and used in a mosaic
- Old used paper can be recycled and repurposed into paper mache sculptures
- Broken and abandoned electronics can be used in a sculpture or taken apart and used in pieces
Artists who seek to create from what has been neglected, forgotten, and thrown away just might be able to catch the eye of an eco-minded art collector. The pieces will be of keen interest to an art lover because they will breathe a new life into the material that was previously bound for the landfill. This is a great way to reach eco-savvy buyers.