3 Down 3 to Go

Artist: Bonnie Meltzer

Title:  3 Down, 3 To Go

Media: installation; found objects, paint, collage, fabric, beads, glitter, crocheted wire
Dimensions:  variable configurations and sizes, painting 46" diameter
Date: 2012

Bonnie Meltzer states on her website that she "lives with her husband in Portland, Oregon in a cottage with an outbuilding studio in the yard.  Both are surrounded by an enormous organic vegetable garden." Bonnie also states that she fell in love joining multiple objects, such as computer parts and wires, many years ago while in a surplus store. Bonnie's artworks often include subjects such as "global warming, elections, economics, and land use."

Bonnie Meltzer states on her website that she made the installation to "reflect the withdrawal of 3 coal port proposals which eliminated some train routes depicted."

I chose this artwork to be part of my exhibition because it shows that coal not only is hurtful to the environment, but it can disrupt current human lifestyle (as shown here, three train routes where going to be removed so coal ports could be installed." The coal companies are huge emitters of greenhouse gases (gases warming up our atmosphere) so there should be less coal ports around this world. I think this installation shows how toxic, unhealthy, and damaging coal can be.  The circular paintings shows the land with the train routes but the outer edge of the painting is black probably to symbolize how the land would look if coal port was installed. The hanging coal pieces also begs the question, do people want black, rock material in their backyard. The coal industry hurts our land, our atmosphere and will eventually hurt future generations living condition. My hope is that this installation will make people want to advocate, or thinking about less coal mining in our world..  

http://www.bonniemeltzer.com/