Long-time supporters and first-time visitors mingled at the GLEAN opening last night.
See the 2019 GLEAN exhibition. Vote for your favorite work
Every year the People’s Choice Award allows folks who attend the show to nominate their favorite work by each artist.
Ballots are available until the show ends. Results of the People’s Choice Awards will be announced in the fall.
Exhibition runs
Aug. 1 through Aug. 25
Gallery Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday
Lovejoy Square
1313 NW Kearney St., Portland
The annual art show is the culmination of months of work for five local artists who took inspiration while combing through greater Portland’s cast-offs.
A jury of art leaders, garbage and recycling professionals and past GLEAN artists selected Vanessa Calvert, Jeremy Okai Davis, Asa Mease, Miel-Margarita Paredes and Lauren Prado to create work from materials they found in piles of trash at the Metro Central transfer station.
The program is supported by crackedpots, a local environmental arts nonprofit; Recology, a company that manages garbage and recycling facilities; and Metro, the government that oversees garbage and recycling facilities.
“That three-way partnership is really valuable,” says Metro Councilor Christine Lewis, who served on the 2019 jury. She sees it as an opportunity to broaden awareness and education around garbage and recycling.
“The traditional view is reduce, reuse, recycle,” she says. “The new view is first refuse—there are some things that never break down." Lewis added that some things we purchase have short lives, yet end up in our waste forever.
This year's work certainly sparked conversation on that theme. And much more.
Elvis Nelson, from left, Lesley Malinowski and Gerel Blauer look at an installation of cast plastic creatures by artist Miel-Margarita Paredes.
"I'm so impressed," said Lesley Malinoski. "They see beyond the trash," said her friend Elvia Nelson. "We need to save the world for the next generation," Nelson added. "I'm a crazy lady recycler."
Siblings Linnaea, left, and John Kavulich look at a portrait by artist Jeremy Okai Davis based off photos found in a discarded family album.
"The materials for the piece and the subject matter together are elevated," said John Kavulich about a portrait of a Recology worker created by Jeremy Okai Davis.
Rama Prasad, left, and Andrew Nelson take in work by Lauren Prado. Prado used found architectural drawings and discarded paint to illustrate real-world items and what they sell for.
"That it was black and white was perfect," said Linnaea Kavulich about the paintings by Lauren Prado. "It's not the prettiest work, but the message is spot on for the world we live in today— the ridiculousness of consumer culture," said Kavulich. "It is the most eye-opening."
Sarah Brahim looks at a landscape painting by Vanessa Calvert made from thousands of tiny thread-like strokes that take on the appearance of a fine net.
"It seems like it was done as a meditation," Sarah Brahim said about Vanessa Calvert's work. "You have to have so much patience. And it's a reminder that creativity can come from limitations."
Shawn Prado holds Runey Davis, 11 months, as he dips into an installation work by Asa Mease.
"He lets the material's history shine," Dawn Stetzel said about the work of Asa Mease. "I think that by using industrial aesthetics, he illustrates what we are doing to the environment."
Take a look for yourself. You can vote for your favorite pieces. Share what piqued your imagination and why. The show will be up until August 25.