Compost Heap

Surprise! at The Bridge Gallery, Charlottesville | January 3-19, 2014

Compost Heap is covered with artificial flowers collected from waste bins in Charlottesville, Virginia’s cemeteries. The flora, in all its permanent plastic glory, finds eternal life after death as a sculpture reminiscent of the grave markers these colorful blooms once adorned. Upcycling at its finest. 

Compost heaps are a recurring subject in my work, both because of my extensive experience as a horticulturist, and because of compost’s rich associations with natural cycles, ecology, and waste. Artificial flowers also hold a particular interest for me, because they make permanent the temporary beauty of a stunning bloom. Kitschy, sincere, idealized representations of the “natural” world, artificial flowers embody a joyously queer aesthetic, while also highlighting the absurdity of late-Capitalist beauty standards.  

Image credits: Maggie Stein