Brink

Daniel Tobin

For this project, I created a trash demon sculpture using recyclable materials and other waste items, supplementing that with physical research in the form of images to provide context. This trash demon in itself will both make the point that our climate has been, and still is being, negatively affected by free-market capitalism, while also offering an alternative to completely discarding all forms of waste. This work takes inspiration from the trash monster sculpture in Shanghai, China, as well as the “Valley of not fully formed seated Demons” by Andrei Riabovitchev, which is reminiscent of the dystopian trash landscape that appears at the beginning of the Pixar film Wall-E. Such work serves as a wake-up call to people manifesting behavior ignorant to our climate, but also the consequences of subservience to a capitalist model that involves companies wanting their consumers to constantly buy new products, especially those that are overproduced, instead of repairing old products. The nature of this sculpture would imply that we are at a point of no return, and we have already pushed these issues to the brink. 

The materials used for this sculpture will include a great deal of recyclable materials, such as bottles, cans, cardboard material, wires, aluminum foil, plastic bags, and other perishable waste items, and holding them all together will be plastic bags, tape and wires. My intention with this piece is to not only create open interpretation but also reflect the dark position we are in as a planet due to how the state of our climate has been worsened by free-market capitalism. Despite the inherently egregious, uninviting nature of this trash demon, it would also present an alternative to completely discarding waste items and other forms of waste. In lieu of, for instance, filling up a bay or other area susceptible to pollution with trash, especially materials that are recyclable, we can make art out of our trash. 

You can learn more about the process here.

About the Artist

My work involves a little bit of everything in terms of the mediums I use. The themes and subject matter also tend to vary. Yet my primary goal is to create work that prompts open interpretation, reflection, and potentially extensive conversation. I have the tendency to incorporate dark elements such as horror and implications of the struggles of human existence and mortality. While in some cases my work may tend to be inherently uninviting, especially through the use of horror elements, there are more thematic elements beyond the spectacle that I feel need attention and consideration. Most of my inspiration is drawn from the music I listen to, such as metal, dark ambient or soundtrack music, as well as various horror productions, including but not limited to films like The Ring, literature like The Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe, and video games. I have also found that simply being outside and exploring and observing natural or industrial landscapes, especially when I am out of state, has been a conduit for many inspirations and ideas. The mediums I have most recently been working with are charcoal, sculpture, photography, sound and music, collage, and a little bit of digital media. While art is something I have been passionate about for as long as I can remember, I am wanting my art to be accessible, inspire dialogue and open interpretation as well as prompt reflection. This is along with potentially pointing my audience to deeper issues and making an impact on their life, regardless of its magnitude.