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Recycled Art Makes Brief Campus Appearance

October 15, 2015

It’s been said that art imitates life. A group of UC Merced students, however, are learning that it can also be a catalyst for change.

Students in Richard Gomez’s Arts 171: Art for Social Change course are getting up close and personal with art’s place in social justice and providing commentary on hot topics.

The Trashy Mermaid on display in Yosemite“They create art that’s functional and learn that their works can have a purpose,” Gomez said. “It’s not just about pretty pictures and home décor.”

One recent project covered a topic of contemporary interest: the environment. The class has had a special role in the Yosemite Facelift, an annual project that focuses volunteers on cleaning up Yosemite National Park in late September, after its busy season. This year, nearly 1,500 volunteers spent almost 9,700 work hours collecting 14,762 pounds of litter and other waste from the park over six days.

Gomez’s students took all that trash and created four life-size figures. With names like “Sally Junk” and “The Trashy Mermaid,” the figures were on display in the park and will be installed on campus on Oct. 21, after a brief stint along Main Street for Saturday night’s Art Hop.

Though the figures — like the one of a reclined figure made of trash — make commentary of their own, the communication is not one-sided. Each figure has an accompanying notebook so that viewers can share their thoughts and reactions to the pieces.

Student Julie A. Von Berckefeldt, whose team created “Wiley Beary Scott,” better known as “Trashy Transformer,” said the experience has been unforgettable.

“The message of our piece is to chill or slow down so you can think about what you are doing and how it affects you, your loved ones and the entire planet,” the psychology major said. “This act of unifying to transform recycled items was huge, as if we were reaching beyond the space of our art piece and time of that day, to make a global declaration.”

Added Gomez, "The Recyled Figure Project was a big success thanks to the collaborative efforts of Jesse Chakrin and Jacob Croasdale of YLP, we’ve already begun talks of returning next year.”  

“Everything I do in this class, I do for the first time,” he said. “It's always exciting to see where the ideas will lead. It is important for us to bridge our campus to Yosemite and include the community in our projects. UC Merced is a very unique campus, and we need to utilize what makes us special."

The figures will be on display along Main Street from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, during Merced Art Hop, which includes live music, art exhibits and family-friendly fun. The figures will be installed on campus on Wednesday, Oct. 21, where they will be on display for about two weeks.