Paper Sculptures

Finally, after what seems like a long time, I've returned to making sculptures of found objects (for best examples of my work, see Summer 2005 at my old website: www.umich.edu/~mtliang). Of anything I've ever created, these have felt the strongest, the most unique to myself. Yet as graduation looms in the not-so-far-off future, I question how rearranging bits of trash will contribute to my financial security. Earlier this summer, I threw myself into some graphic design and illustration projects, with mixed results. I've decided to return to these assemblages, to wholly embrace these efforts and then see what happens. Conceptually, I'm not sure if there is anything beyond elegant form and composition. I am drawn to the idea of seeking/creating beauty through the everyday and discarded objects of life. There's a spirit of recycling in that, right? Lastly, I'm curious how these will evolve while living in Mali. What exactly is thrown away in a country that includes itself in the list of Top Ten Poorest Countries?