Winter blues? Cheer yourself up with a visit to the Fuller Craft Museum’s newest exhibit. “Waste Not, Want Not, Crafts in the Anthropocene,” ongoing until August 31, is a must-see for those interested in recycling our wealth’s debris into something beautiful. Also on view are newly acquired craft pieces donated to the Fuller by nationally known collector Fleur S. Bresler.
Beth McLaughlin, artistic director of the museum, gave me a quick “preview” of the gallery where “Waste Not, Want Not” opened on December 21. Three of the works were still under plastic wraps, but several were out of their packaging, and I can report viewing it will be a rewarding experience. McLaughlin summed up the challenge artists face in producing art that is beautiful and earth sustainable:
“It is our charge as a cultural institution to reflect the world around us and to cultivate an awareness of the pressing issues of our times, our fragile ecology among them. To that end, we are honored to present the meaningful works in ‘Waste Not, Want Not.’ The exceptional artists featured in the exhibition affirm the beautiful and limitless possibilities of sustainable practices, leading the way toward a bountiful future.”
“Waste Not Want Not” is one of the most important exhibits of our time. It calls into question the underlying basis of art production. How wasteful is art? Artists make beautiful objects out of expensive, non-recyclable materials with results that have no other use than beauty. The nine artists in this exhibit, chosen by guest curator Caroline Kipp, who is also an artist and art historian, are using materials to combat this waste. About this issue Kipp writes:
“The Anthropocene is a new geological epoch in which human activity is the primary force shaping the climate and the environment. It heralds an uncertain future marked by climate change, spurred by greed, exploitive practices and rampant consumerism. Given these realities, artists increasingly consider the ethics of using new materials for their work. Craft artists, in particular, face these questions head on.”