WOOD: LOST AND FOUND

Henrique Oliveira creates massive installations from discarded construction fences.

"A breakthrough occurred while he was a student at the University of São Paulo, where for two years the view from his studio window was a wooden construction fence. Over time Oliveira began to see the deterioration of the wood and its separation into multiple layers and colors as similar to the process of painting. One week before the final student show opened, the construction was finished and the worn out plywood fence was discarded. Oliveira collected the wood and used it in his first installation" - Rice Gallery

Keith Long is drawn to tactile materials that exhibit their own history.

"Building them into sculpture allows them, phoenix-like, to rise again and add another chapter to their existence."

Mermaid 10 by Keith Long

Kathedraal by GALERIEopWEG on Flickr

Thermals by Rosalie Gascoigne

Ritratto by Alton Falcone

Drift wood assemblage by John Dahlsen

"John Dahlsen isn't your average artist. A bold statement to make but appropriate after you realize the sheer depth and determination which goes into the work this man has produced over the past seven years. Although he has been within art circles for much longer than that, it is only in the most recent years, which have seen Dahlsen create a different form of art with environmental messages and strong statements. It is 'found' object art, be that organic or inorganic.He would be seen scavenging beaches in search of plastics, specific colours and sizes. He is also known for venturing along the edge of Victoria alone in search of driftwood. Boat trips, four-wheel-drive tours and scaling 40 meter-high cliffs, were all part of the process for this driftwood exhibition and Dahlsen admits at times there were death-defying moments grabbing the perfect piece of wood."

Cracking Box by Paul Nash

Driftwoodart by dinapanou on Flickr

More driftwoodart by dinapanou