Exhibition Preview: Michael Konrad's functional reuse sculptures

Michael Konrad's work reflects a hope for a possible future in which raw materials are sourced from existing man-made objects and structures, rather from nature. This focus on reuse is evidenced in Konrad's transformation of household waste into fully functional sculptural pieces. In Sleeping Bag, Konrad refashions plastic bags and shredded newspaper into a highly warm and waterproof sleeping bag, highlighting themes of waste diversion, reuse, and sustainable material sourcing.

Sleeping Bag communicates feelings of warmth and shelter amidst a struggling world. It alludes to the fleeting impermanence of our human-made environment and the desperate need for collective environmental action.

Michael Konrad | Sleeping Bag detail | 2010 | heat-fused plastic bags, shredded newspaper fill, zipper, shockcord, wood pallets, convoluted foam, dim | 13" x 42" x 94"

Michael Konrad | Sleeping Bag in use | 2010 | heat-fused plastic bags, shredded newspaper fill, zipper, shockcord | 8" x 30" x 78"