Garbage Wall

Gordon Matta-Clark's work, Garbage Wall (1970), is emblematic of the focus he placed on art, architecture and social activism.

A locally-constructed Garbage Wall is installed within the exhibition and is comprised of items collected throughout the community. These methods included soliciting individual donations from various community groups, including four area schools, local universities, as well as neighborhood clean-ups, speaking to the community action that Matta-Clark’s work inspires.

The Pulitzer is collaborating with Construction Careers Center, Lawrence Group Architects and EarthWays Center to offer workshops inspired by Matta-Clark’s Garbage Wall. High school students studying both art and construction at the Construction Careers Center will take on different roles (artist, community activist, environmental researcher, and architect) in order to design and build their own structures.

http://www.vimeo.com/6851821

September 25, 2009, the Pulitzer meets with Washington University fraternity and sorority members to pick up trash in University City, collecting for Garbage Wall, a piece in the exhibition Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark.

Is your garbage in the Garbage Wall?

During my first shift as a Gallery Assistant at the Pulitzer, I rotated into the Entrance Gallery and was confronted by Garbage Wall. After spending the last month and a half collecting this garbage from around St. Louis, I stood there and realized how little time I had spent with the finished piece. My eyes scanned over the [...]

Sole Mates

Courtney holds up lost Reebok sneaker. A single shoe. I picture either a perfectly content one legged man or a rather upset runner contemplating trashing his solo sneaker. Either way, lefty remains. Sometimes strange things get left at the front desk of the Pulitzer. Cups of coffee, half eaten apples, earrings; little pieces of life we [...]

Here’s to Bloggers

Besides the generous publicity from media outlets, the blogosphere really helped broadcast Urban Alchemy’s opening and often gave insight into the exhibition and Matta-Clark’s work. Here are several blogs linked to relevant posts: Look/Listen Ecology of Absence Architectural Ruminations StudioSTL Rustwire.com Urban Review STL Dotage-St. Louis, Missouri UEU314 Art-Patrol Digging Pit Please feel free to leave links to any other posts on Urban Alchemy in “comments.” And thank [...]

Urban Alchemy In Your Own Words

As you can see in our recent upload of Flickr photos, a throng of art viewers circulated the galleries last Friday for the reception of Urban Alchemy. Equipped with the Flip camera and a tripod, I petitioned a few attendees to share their thoughts on this new exhibition. Pulitzer visitors talk about Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark. Thank you for sharing, [...]

Read more entries on the Garbage Wall collection process at 2Buildings1Blog.org, The Pulitzer's shared blog with the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

Garbage Wall

Related Content from 2Buildings1Blog.org

Is your garbage in the Garbage Wall?

Sole Mates

Here’s to Bloggers

Urban Alchemy In Your Own Words

October 30, 2009 - June 5, 2010

The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts