Found: an exhibit featuring the creative works of local artists who locate, assemble and transform ordinary objects into delightful and thought provoking works of art.

By Gabriela C. Martinez

At a new exhibition at Nave Gallery Annex, one man’s trash is an artist’s treasure.  This Into That: Found Object Art, Assemblage, and Other Transformed Work features artwork assembled out of old items, many found at thrift stores or recollected by the artists themselves throughout their lives.

The exhibition includes artwork made in different mediums, such as sculpture, photography, video art, and dioramas. The artists integrate vintage items or aged materials in order to create a larger dialogue that enables viewers to reflect about the past and the evolution of societal values throughout time.

“I am fascinated by the everyday lives of people and the way we can read into those lives by the images and objects people leave behind,” said Audrey Bell, one of the featured artists.

The gallery space in Nave Gallery Annex, located in a small one-story house on Chester Street, is small and cozy, much like a friend’s home. Caleb Cole, the exhibition’s curator, succeeded in finding diverse set pieces that could fit nicely into the intimate space. A lover of thrift store finds himself, Cole felt inspired to dedicate an entire exhibition to artwork made out of found objects. It was the various possibilities for experimentation and storytelling that attracted him to the concept. Judging from the large amount of entries Cole received after placing an open call, the concept also attracted many artists, both local and international.

The exhibition will be open until March 28.