The Art Compact

For some time, I have been struggling with the focus of my artwork. Mobile Misuse has been gratifying, but I have been driven by the urge to go deeper, to somehow make a comment on the difficult times that have come to pass – difficult on so many levels and for so many people. I am not the most articulate about these things, but I ponder climate and economy and wonder if the Earth might take my daughter’s life before she reaches old age. This is worst-case scenario thinking, of course. A hopeless vision, but one that I think could happen if humankind does not wake up.

I’ve been toying with an idea – an idea that is based on “The Compact” movement. These are people who, beginning in 2006, took an oath to not buy anything new for a year. The movement quickly gained fame and grew exponentially. It seems natural in these times to be attracted to these sorts of movements. So my version of this for the year 2010 is the Art Compact. I will buy nothing new for making art for the next year. No new equipment, materials, paper, colors, adhesives, paints, etc.
Basically the rules of the game are:

1. Don’t buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites,...)
2. Borrow, barter, or buy used.

Goals of The Compact movement:

1. to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socio-economic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc;
2. to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er);
3. to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

For my Art Compact I will work to use up the supplies that have accrued over years in my basement studio. I will figure out how to make good work using old, used, traded or free materials. I will write about and document the projects made and the materials used on this blog and my Flickr photo gallery.