Cycles - Exhibition Recap

Cycles: Receiving Found Materials 

Cycles: Reviving Found Materials was a group exhibition curated via open call on view April 29 - May 2, 2021 at The Bakery South Downtown. Featuring diverse works ranging from a bottle cap headdress to chicken wings encased in resin, this exhibit encouraged viewers to think outside of the landfill and ask themselves: How can I break the cycle?

“Our shared environment is more important than our individual experiences, as the environment affects us all. Just as we can recognize and break the negative cycles that present themselves in our individual lives, so can we break the parasitic cycle of waste and replace” - Tati T Pinckney (they/them) Curator of Cycles and Program Assistant at The Bakery

We have fallen prey to the comfortable and lazy pattern of collecting and discarding, a cycle perpetuated by the capitalist society driven by aesthetics that we have in turn perpetuated. However, all hope is not lost. As these 20+ artists have shown us, we can rewrite the rules and start again. Their work challenges us to use the resources at our disposal to change the narrative. With an individual and collective shift, we can look past instant gratification and temporary payoffs.

Featured artists: Amanda Norris, Ann Moody, Camisha Butler, Chastain Clark, Elisabeth Herrera-Very, erin T great, Frankie Berryman, Halle Castille , Hazel Cline JGT, Katie Turner, Kaysel Caribay, Madisyn Jones, MFGoods, Mira Kaufman, Muse Zin, Naked Headless, Sara Murphy, Sara Quinn, Serena JV Elston, Soude Dadras, Steven Cline, THUNGRY

The goal of Cycles was to spark a conversation about reducing, reusing, and recycling by displaying creative and innovative approaches to turning found materials into art. This exhibition encouraged viewers to acknowledge how they benefit from maintaining the status quo and ask what steps they can take to help reduce waste. Together, with routine conversations and action, we can break the cycle.