What propels an artist to transform found materials into a personal statement? THEN/AGAIN highlights the work of four contemporary American Artists whose environmental concerns dictate their art.

The key to John Garrett's work is availability. A pioneer in the use of recycled materials, Garrett finds inspiration from an abundance of road-killed grasshoppers, aluminum cans and discarded hypodermic needles. His strong and forceful work breathes new life into the detritus of his everyday surroundings. More than that, his work graphically comments on the excesses of our last Century.

Ken Little skillfully uses humor to make a political statement about our culture. He does not make shoes and belts out of animals but rather, animals out of shoes and belts! The familiar materials, dollar bills, high heel red pumps, baseball mitts, seduce us into enjoying these works, but they also provoke us into thinking about social concerns. Little's life-size sculptures playfully illustrate the wanton consumer nature of our society.

Deborah Rapoport has always considered anything fair game in her mixed media assemblages. In her current work she transforms alternative paper media (banana fiber) into elegant personal adornment.

Rob Dobson started reusing material due to economic necessity. "Dumpster diving" elicited a myriad of flexible and linear materials lending themselves to textile processes. For example, the skin-like transformation in Basket #40 results in an innocent and refreshing object. According to Dobson, "Modern as it is in some ways, my work also harks back to the kind of dignity and pride that were possible for a craftsperson before the Industrial Revolution's mass production methods obscured individual skill and ingenuity."

The beauty and humor of the works in THEN/AGAIN gently confront social, political and environmental issues. While we view them on many levels, ever present is the fact of excess in our culture today. These artists have found their own means of recycling.

Enjoy our second virtual show, and be sure to send us your comments at mgblock@fiberscene.com