Artist plans ‘garbage party’

It promises to be an art experience with a throw-away message.

Something like a waste bin, 10 feet long, will be taken to two city parks next month. And its creator will be there to explain.

Lethbridge artist Arianna Richardson will be throwing a “garbage party,” Sept. 15-21 in Galt Gardens. Then she’ll move it to the Baroness picnic area in Indian Battle Park, Sept. 22-28.

A sculptor and performance artist, Richardson aims at stimulating discussion about what people consume, and what they think about waste and recycling. Her brightly coloured installation — made from nylon and hardware mesh — will be offered as “a playful and absurd site in which to engage in conversation about our consumer society and the impact of the waste it generates.”

Says Richardson, “This project will be a place where people of all ages, genders, belief systems and walks of life can engage with a subject matter that affects all of us, and is of utmost importance to address if we are to collectively propel our city towards a positive future.”

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree “with distinction” from the University of Lethbridge, the artist recent completed her master’s degree at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax. She has also been awarded the Roloff Beny Photography Scholarship and the Alberta Arts Graduate Scholarship.

“Garbage Party” was created with the assistance of a Small Projects Grant from the City of Lethbridge.

Follow @DMabellHerald on Twitter