"Miami scavenger & artist. I love the hunt: building with scraps, from saved husks to fry cups. In my zone, I turn debris into iconic art."
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
"My favorite work is mixed-media assemblage that bridges industrial debris & botanical life. I love the physical challenge: I saw through whole coconut husks for vessels, saving the 'tops & tips' I cut away to drill into my signature 'flower pops'. I Dremel the fibrous micropyle off calyxes & prep salvaged road reflectors or iconic fry cups. By arranging these purified objects into vibrant grids or single-focused canvases, I transform forgotten trash into high-end pieces pf work."
Where do you find inspiration?"My inspiration comes from the 'hunt.' I'm obsessed with the potential in our debris: from road reflectors I salvage from the pavement to the coconut husks I find scattered across the Key Biscayne landscape. For ten years, I've scavenged Miami's streets for what most people ignore. Whether it's an iconic fry cup or a weathered coconut vine with calyxes still attached to their stems, I find beauty in the forgotten and clean it up to show it can be a high-end piece of work."
What would you do with $25,000?"I will transform my art into a social enterpise that employs individuals with disabilities. My work gives new life to discarded debris: from salvages road reflectors to coconut husks. I want to extend this philosophy to people often overlooked by society. This funding allows me to hire & train a team to assist in my entire process: from the ecological collection of botanical elements to the technical purification, drilling, & assembly of my vessels, flower pops, & iconic installations."
Vote for Mari-Carmen Pina to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.
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