Junk Reconsidered
Cosette Dudley
September 6 through October 21, 2007
I’ve always been a compulsive “clipper” and saver and re-user of things, and a collector of what many would call “junk”. Through the years I’ve collected vast bundles of newspaper clippings, used tea bags, lengths of fabrics and a wide array off fabric scraps: old sheet music, turn-off-the-century photographs, along with bottle caps and corks, and the usual interesting driftwood, seaweed and shells. We have almost been driven out of our house by these “collections”, just ask my husband and children. But sometimes I use these things in what might be loosely termed “artwork”, and that justifies my keeping them. Sometimes I show them as “found objects”.
For about 40 years I’ve been a printmaker, making hand-pulled, fine art prints, mostly etchings. This has been my primary endeavor in the arts. My themes are usually on war and peace, social justice, women’s issues, and other serious and worrisome subjects. From time-to-time I get so worn out from doing this, and so discouraged by what I see and portray, that I have to stop and turn to my “junk” to cheer me up. Now is such a time. The world out there is a mess, beyond redemption, I fear!
My show at 1870 Art Center is called, “Junk Reconsidered”, junk rearranged, reconfigured, into wall hangings, boxes, sculptural pieces, and other things I enjoyed doing. I hope people will be inspired to use their junk for useful or interesting things, and think before they buy new objects, and reconsider before they throw anything away!
Cosette Dudley, 2007
