Found Art Edit
Recycled Innovations Make Everything Old New Again

Reduce, reuse, recycle has been a surging theme since the Environmental Protection Agency’s establishment in 1970. What was once an unbelievably innovative idea has now become a principle to live by. The EPA’s mantra, learned in elementary school by most of Generation Y, has caused the Movers-and-Shakers of the world to reuse, reshape and re-vamp everyday objects.

Found Art is made through the use of “found” objects-an abandoned shoe, a lost love letter, a tossed wrapper-to create another object or piece of art. Society has been moving forward with this style of innovation from creating objects that can only be viewed, like a sculpture, to beautiful objects that can be used.

Eco-Artware.com showcases eco-friendly gifts for friends that serve more purpose than to be seen. Some of my favorite items are the utensils made from bamboo, a tote created from juice cartons and a re-vamped scarf with buttons.

Apparently, Steve Powers and The Mural Arts Program will be creating a huge, mural love letter to span about 50 blocks in West Philadelphia.

Another example of “found” art can be seen on Found.com, a web site that showcases letters, notes, scribblings on bathroom walls and more which can also be seen in the Found books. Found has also created a series of note and thank you cards from their found art.

The ever-growing PostSecret.com allows people to anonymously send in a secret on an artsy postcard. The small whispers can be seen on the Postsecret web site or in PostSecret books. Though this isn’t necessarily “found” art, it is an example of the growing desire of individuals to contribute and break away from anonymity while still remaining anonymous. The internet has certainly made individual innovation and contribution attainable! Look for more on this trend of “consumer and individual input” to come soon!

Where have you seen “found” art? Was it recreated for use or to muse at?