Buffalo ReUse is calling out to all designers, artists, and fashionistas in the city to embrace the act of dumpster diving and put their creativity to good use.
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 21, the Buffalo ReUse ReFIND Arts program will be hosting “REThread: an exhibition of Garbage Couture” at the Artspace gallery on Main Street. From now through Monday, October 11, Buffalo ReUse will be accepting applications for designs to be entered in the exhibition. Artists may submit up to five entries to be considered for the show. These submissions can be sketches of their designs or photos of actual pieces they have created. Applications can be downloaded from www.buffaloreuse.org and entries can be emailed to refindarts@buffaloreuse.org.
The main requirements for designs are that they have to be made from garbage or expired materials that are on their way to the garbage, and someone has to be able to wear them. Entries can be anything from a dress to a hat, shoes or even lingerie. The exhibition will include a catwalk to showcase the contestants’ work, so artists will have to find a model for their design or be willing to model it themselves. There is no set percentage for how much of the material used in a submission must be recyclable. The determining factor will be how well the artists use their imagination.
“Entries will be judged on creativity, rating what the uniqueness of the material was, and how fun it looks,” said Caesandra Seawell, director of community programs at Buffalo ReUse. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be practical. Choose the things that are the most interesting and fun that will open people’s minds.”
The overall goal of this “trashion show” will be to encourage people to find more creative uses for garbage and recyclable materials, and to have a little fun in the process. “We’re changing our idea of what’s fashionable and what clothing means, and what kind of life an object has,” Seawell said. “We’ll get the neighborhood out to have a little bit of a laugh and entertainment and allow people to stretch their imagination.”
Buffalo ReUse puts on an art exhibition every year, but this year will be the first time they have made fashion their focus. “Think about your closet–how many pairs of shoes you have, t-shirts and jeans,” Seawell pointed out. “A lot of people are very trendy and buy new clothes every year.” The fashion theme of this exhibition will draw attention to the consequences of materialism and the unexpected possibilities that lie in recycled goods.
“The reason we do art exhibitions is because we want people to look at material differently and realize that we bring these things into existence,” Seawell said. “A lot of them are man-made and they have a life, whether we do anything with them or not. It’s best to try and use them for something, if possible, because a lot of the stuff that we create doesn’t degrade and doesn’t return back to the earth.”
No one has stepped up to sponsor this event yet, so application fees submitted by the artists will fund the exhibition. The event’s hosts are always looking for volunteers to help with organizing, catering and photography. Interested individuals may contact volunteer@buffaloreuse.org to lend a hand. Any other questions related to the exhibition can be answered by calling 716-885-4131.