We are always on the lookout for newsy eco tidbits for our readers – the trashier the better in a lot of cases. But when we recently received this fun tip about couture created from waste bin refuse (newspapers and e-waste specifically), we decided to do a bit of investigative fashion journalism.
Enviro-Couture: Haute Art from the Waste Container is a theatrical and finely tailored take on newspapers rewoven and hardware jewelry smartly crafted from re-possessed e-waste. We love this Canadian team’s artistic collaboration and the way they have breathed new life into yesterday’s news while also celebrating the flair and rich complexity of world cultures.
Enviro-Couture features 100% recycled newspaper wearables created by Elena Gregusova (a continuation of her “Wear the News™” collection), as well as the upcycled hardware jewelry of Barbara Gregusova. Both collections are gorgeously illustrated in the fine art photographs of Martin Gregus. Barbara’s abstract, geometric jewelry collection is resourcefully crafted from recycled hard drives, laser toners, ink-jet cartridges and other re-possessed electronic waste.
We adore how this project bypasses the concerns of day-to-day fashion trends and instead suggests a blue-sky vision for the haute-possibilities that abound for materials generally destined for the trash pile or household waste bin. Traditional recycling is certainly an obvious waste reduction solution, but for those of us who wear our green heart on our sleeve, perhaps ‘enviro-couture’ is another way to fashionably spread the enviro-message.
Enviro-Couture: Haute Art from the Waste Container is on view at the Community Art Space North Vancouver, BC Canada through August 30, 2008.
The next presentation of Elena Gregusova‘s “Wear the News™” collection and Martin Gregus‘ haute art photographs will take place in October 2008 in Bratislava, Slovakia, with the support from Slovak Union of Visual Arts, Canada Council for the Arts, the Association of Slovak Professional Photographers and the Association of Slovak Textile Artists.
+ Enviro-Couture
All photography courtesy of Martin Gregus
some of these are just fun art- but the jewelry is totally awesome and wearable. It makes me want to do a DIY project and make that fan- i bet with some left over to-go chopsticks, newspaper and glue it would be easy to make a replica.
Hello, I was wondering if you knew of any cultures that use or used recycle newspaper as a primary material for sculptural and utilitarian works?