Giving Garbage a Voice
In a time of overstimulation, instant gratification, and perceived obsolescence, more and more household items are being thrown to the curb. These fixtures have lived short lives at the hands of their owners- replaced by the latest, greatest Smart TV or Shopping Channel special. This is beginning to sound like a heartbreaking tale of the increasingly short lifespan of inanimate electronics. I promise, a brighter future lies ahead.
Imagine walking through your residential neighborhood and being taken aback by gripping life advice from a 1980's television set. It engages you in an existential trance, advising you that a passport is much more worthwhile than time spent staring at pixels. While the message on this television set is piercing into your heart and soul, you ask yourself: "who wrote this?"
Garbage Beauty, that's who.
This intrepid troupe of typography fanatics roam the streets of Montreal and breathe new life into garbage-bound household items. Their messages are philosophical "fortune cookies", often illustrated in chisel tip marker on washing machines, 1960's sofas, automobiles, and the ever-popular trash item of recent years, the traditional television set.
Garbage Beauty's messages are warmly received by the citizens of Montreal, Canada's cultural mecca and the metropolis canvas for the group's work. These poignant painted passages are a cultural mediation of life, gracefully grazing the surface of criticisms regarding consumer behaviour.
Their illustrations are a stellar example of design giving meaning to life. Contextually, these illustrations are statements regarding consumer waste. When taken at face value, however, the are as visually powerful as they are intellectually poignant. A true story of trash to typographical treasure, and a unique take on traditional street art. Mad props to Garbage Beauty.
Browse more of Garbage Beauty's work online at www.garbagebeauty.com.
Cheers, -A
