The Artsxchange in East Point has a new exhibition in their Jack Sinclair Gallery entitled Reclaimed Vision: The Art of Upcycling. I have to admit that I peeked at this exhibit as the curator Richard Washington was mounting a few of the pieces. It was so exciting that I had him reach out to one of the artists, Dr. Danny Campbell, to speak with us about the exhibition. On Saturday, April 19th, there will be an Artist Talk starting at 3PM. The exhibition will be open through May 24th.
Dr. Campbell explains that he was asked to be a jurist for the exhibition as he has used upcycling in his artwork for over thirty years. I asked if mixed-media always meant upcycling, and he explained that some artist create new items for their mixed-media works. He is an artist who intentionally upcycles materials for his work.
When I experience Dr. Campbell’s work, his sculptures look as if they are artifacts from an Afrofuturistic culture. He shares that he has heard this about his work before. He mentions traveling from work and having a near-death experience with an 18-wheeler. This had an impact on his work.
After working as an art educator for many decades from secondary to graduate school, I asked what advice he provides to young artists. He said “See yourself as an artist and become a messenger.”
You can follow Dr. Campbell on social media platforms @CampbellArtStudios