You’ve probably heard the phrase “one man's trash is another man's treasure” thousands of times, to the point where it may not mean anything to you. However, to artists like Jane Perkins, Tom Deininger, and Yuken Teruya, this phrase is more just a boring cliché—it's a motto. These creators are known for collecting garbage, recycled materials, and old oddities, and using them to generate distinctive pieces that captivate audiences all over the world.
For artist Jane Perkins, trash is not simply something to be thrown away, but a medium through which one can create beautiful pieces of art. This UK-based artist who refers to herself as a “re-maker” is known for her impressive art pieces, typically portraits or recreations of famous artworks, which are entirely composed of recycled materials. Jane collects small trinkets and trash— jewelry, small toys, and shells for example— and carefully arranges them to create impressive pieces, such as a portrait of Albert Einstein or a unique recreation of Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa. After selling her artwork, Jane likes to try and recreate the same pieces using new objects. By using all recycled materials, Jane Perkins is able to give used objects headed for the landfill a new life.
Tom Deininger, a German sculptor known for his incredible trash creations, also relies entirely on others’ discarded junk to create his art. Deininger is known for traveling the world to collect unwanted objects and using his artistic eye to recycle dumpster-destined trash into something fresh and original. Starting with an idea, Tom begins his projects with a rough sketch, then meticulously searches for garbage in specific shapes and colors to bring his vision to life. His works, typically 3D sculptures, often function as optical illusions which seem to change depending on where the viewer is standing. Tom seeks to use his art as a way to inform audiences on how much single-use plastic is trashed every day, and inspires others to be mindful of how much they are throwing away, as well as inspire unique uses for what would normally be deemed useless.
In New York, visionary artist Yuken Teruya is famous for his stimulating pieces, usually involving recycled paper, that carry powerful messages about the way society uses natural resources. His art installation, Corner Forest, is one of Teruya’s most popular works. Composed primarily of toilet paper rolls, Yuken carves detailed trees into the cardboard to create a lovely forest of paper trees. The trees echo the beauty of what the cardboard rolls used to be and serve as a reminder of the way natural resources are being quickly depleted. Yuken Teruya’s works are not only unique but incredibly thought-provoking, offering insight into relevant and complex problems that the world faces today.
These artists manage to not only create interesting art pieces out of others’ trash, but they also use their work to convey important messages about waste, recycling, and sustainability. It’s truly inspiring to see artists using their work as a platform to educate audiences on consequential topics, and create some pretty sick art while doing it.
Want to see more recycled pieces? Check out the artists' websites:
Jane Perkins
Tom Deininger
Yuken Teruya
Want to see more recycled pieces? Check out the artists' websites:
Jane Perkins
Tom Deininger
Yuken Teruya
Sam Fraser
Staff Member