CRRA Garbage Museum Sponsors 'RETURN: A Recycled Art Show with a Unique Perspective'

Public Can Meet Artists Will Machin, Oscar Santillan, Howie Sneider at Grand Opening on Friday, July 2

STRATFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority Garbage Museum has attracted more works from artists whose media includes recycled, reused and reclaimed materials for its new show.

The Garbage Museum will hold a Grand Opening of theshow “RETURN: A Recycled Art show with a Unique Perspective” on Friday, July 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

“RETURN” will be on display at the Garbage Museum through Aug. 13.

The works in “RETURN” offer three artists’ interpretations of the “three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” – that the Garbage Museum has taught since its opening in 1995. The show will feature the work of artists Will Machin, Oscar Santillan, and Howie Sneider.

• Will Machin, of Richmond, Va., will feature eight pieces along with a series of photographs taken from objects he found in the area near the Garbage Museum. One exhibit entitled “Darkroom,” is a sculpture that, Machin says, “allows the artist to record light that passes through translucent materials.” Machin uses everyday objects, often discarded as trash by others, to create his work.

A graduate of Brown University in Providence, R.I., Machin has worked as a public and commissioned artist. He has been commissioned across the country and has won residencies and grants, including Rhode Island Foundation New Works Grant in 2005. Machin is in the process of completing his Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture and Extended Media at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.. He has begun to work within the gallery system in pursuit of wider critical response.

• Oscar Santillan, of Richmond, Va., will exhibit two pieces, including a photograph titled, “The Compassionate Hunter.” Santillan, of Ecuador, is currently pursuing his MFA in Sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth. Santillan has displayed work at the Havana Biennial in Cuba and ICO Foundation in Spain among other events and institutions. He has won many awards including the Salon de Octubre at Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana in 2000.

• Howie Sneider, of Syracuse, N.Y., will feature two pieces from his lens series, which are created from camera lenses and United States Army uniforms. He will also have planters on display in front of the Garbage Museum which are part of Industrial-Evolution, a collaboration with Machin. Together they re-used dozens of discarded bus brake drums to create durable urban planters. Schneider currently runs the Public Projects for the Steel Yard, a Providence, R.I.-based non-profit organization specializing in the industrial arts. He has taught welding, fabricating, sculpture and drawing and has collaborated with over 100 other artists to create functional and decorative public art throughout southern New England.

“Showcasing artists who use recycled materials is another avenue the Garbage Museum is pursuing to educate the community about the impact they have on the environment. RETURN provides just this,” said Sotoria Montanari, education supervisor.  

The Garbage Museum is located at 1410 Honeyspot Road Extension, Stratford. Its summer hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Aug. 13.

The Garbage Museum in Stratford and the Trash Museum in Harford have provided award-winning environmental education, recycling and sustainability programs to over 500,000 people from Connecticut and worldwide since 1993. Both museums are attached to regional recycling centers where visitors get an up-close look at the sorting and processing of recyclables. Student programs align with state science and social studies standards. Museum exhibits focus on proper waste management practices with hands-on activities and displays.

The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority is a quasi-public agency whose mission is to work for – and in – the best interests of the municipalities of the state of Connecticut. CRRA’s new board of directors and new management team develop and implement environmentally sound solutions and best practices for solid waste disposal and recycling management on behalf of municipalities. CRRA serves more than 100 Connecticut cities and towns. CRRA also runs sustainability education programs through the Trash Museum in Hartford and Garbage Museum in Stratford. Computer users can also discuss CRRA at its blog,.

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