Where some people see ugly old tires,
Roché Van Den Berg sees beautiful objects that simply need a little tender loving care. And now the South African artist has compiled her unique upcycled rubber lighting, jewelry, and furniture - including 3 meter tall rubber trees - into a solo exhibit called Rubber, Recycle, Relove on show at the
101 Dorp Gallery in Stellenbosch.
In South Africa alone, 11 million used tires languish underneath the sun every year. So Roché, who is part of a new generation of local designers interested in using sustainable materials for art and building projects (including Tony Budden – the man behind the country’s very first Hemp House), decided to put the tires to good use instead of letting them go to waste.
What started out as a small commission here and there has evolved into this young artist’s first solo exhibit and an upcycling vision with no apparent end. Rubber, Recycle, Relove showcases everything from rubber mirrors and chairs to life-sized trees that will be on show until 28 October, 2011. So, if you happen to be in the Western Cape in the next 10 days or so, why not stop by and take a gander at these fascinating rubber pieces?
+ 101 Dorp Gallery
thank you inhabitat for this amazing piece on my work! inhabitat is a really awesome and edgy website,filled with inspiration and is by far a leader in its kind!
I See the work of roche at the Design Business Week in munich. Is very interesting and a now matter for the Design World. We will prescht Somerset work of Roche in the Next Auktion in bolzano.
http://Www.boznerkunstauktionen.com