Robert Acevedo-Wozniak
untitled, 2021
ceramics
dimensions variable
I am drawn to and have always had a fascination with the ocean; it gives me a sense of belonging and a sense of home despite never actually living there. It’s a grounding experience as you realize that you are part of something greater: the cycle of life. And this cycle will continue on without you despite bad experiences that are thrown your way.
I loved weekends that I spent exploring the tidepools with my grandma and my friends, catching crabs and poking anemones. But one thing I never noticed as a kid was all the pollution and trash that affects those ecosystems. The crumpled juice box, my childhood staple, the soda can, along with many other items we use daily, were used once, tossed away and never thought about again; breaking down over time but never really going away. Being eaten by different animals that think it's food, causing sickness and even death. As I walk on the beaches now I am unable to take one step without seeing pieces of plastic littering the sand. These objects that represent my seemingly distant childhood are directly affecting and causing the oceans to “fade away”.
Some of these toxic objects were a big part of my childhood, and are connected to core memories and experiences of the past, such as summer birthday parties, and beach outings where we explored and played endlessly only stopping to drink from our cold juice boxes.
When thinking about this project and my desire to recreate these childhood objects, I thought about Andy Warhol, who took simple objects such as a can of Campbell's soup, that is both nostalgic and easily recognizable, and adds his own twist by playing with color and shading. I aim to do the same thing with my objects but instead of changing color, I will upscale the size, making them much larger— to represent how meaningful our childhood memories are.
I hope that my piece is not only relatable and nostalgic but represents what we can learn from our past and change for the better.
Click images to enlarge.
