25 baskets. Each basket is woven on a substructure of knotted 9 gauge steel wire. The wire structure is then interwoven with commercial plastic strapping gathered from the dumpsters and floors of big box stores and industrial warehouses. This strapping is produced used for shipping of heavy material. It is in use for 10 days-2 weeks, then thrown in the dumpster to go to a landfill. This strapping is not recyclable. On site the 25 baskets were woven together to form one large sculptural installation. Outdoors the heavily galvanized steel will last approximately 25 years. The plastic remains in the environment, in one form or another, forever.
“Ginormous” – largest piece
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H: 144" | W: 108" | D: 84"
Photo by artist
David Bacharach
Cockeysville, MD
I've worked as an artist and craftsman from my studio outside Baltimore for over fifty-seven years. Typically, my choice of materials is scrap and recycled copper. The inspiration for my work comes from nature and my love of the natural world.
In the 1990s, I noticed changes in the natural areas surrounding my home. More and more dying tulip poplars, oaks, and dogwoods stood starkly against the background of cobalt skies. Stands of woodland ravaged by grazing deer, devoid of native undergrowth, were increasingly clogged with the green gold leaves of garlic mustard and bright green waves of stilt grass. The imperfections caused by invasive plants, disease, and a general disregard for environmental change provided robustly compelling visual essays that I often incorporated into my work. But they weren't the picture of a healthy planet. It was then I decided to redirect my work to address enviromental issues.
