Jaynie Gillman Crimmins

Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, USA

Artist statement

What I do: I fabricate objects with meticulous handmade details that contrast with the banality of their materials. By repurposing solicitations, safety envelopes, and catalogs that are difficult to recycle (because their inks have high concentrations of heavy metals), my work explores consumerism and waste through a repetitive practice mirroring domestic tasks. Shredding these marketing tools breaks down their physical and ascribed composition so I can roll, fold, sew and fabricate the shreds into intimate sculptural reliefs. Process, surface and texture reshape formulaic messages into forms based upon impressions from recollections and observations. Conventional, impersonal messages become personal, domestic and cultural narratives. Why I do it: Nothing seemed to make it into the trash in the apartment of my Eastern European grandparents. Discarded clothing became crocheted rugs. Old curtains became aprons. Leftovers became the ingredients for new meals. Nothing was wasted, everything possible was reused. Castoff items became novel and compelling in their metamorphosis. Combining this sensibility with the shredding of junk mail illuminates the physical acts of deconstructing and repurposing. The power of transformation, frugality, ingenuity and handmade quality drive my practice.

Artwork