Amer-Ican was the result of a dual thesis, combining design with art to create something meaningful and impactful. Inspired by the Found Object movement and the Trash Art movement;
Amer-Ican exposes the globalization of American consumerist culture and its far-reaching consequences while offering alternatives within its critique.
I visited Portland’s Museum of Science & Industry’s “Clever Together” exhibition which showcased the relationships between consumption and waste.
One exhibit was a pinball machine that exposed waste disposal dynamics in everyday life and had many examples of responsible consumption and disposal.
Using chicken wire, I began building a prototype that showcased the cause-and-effect of American consumption via superimposed anatomical structures.
Paper-mache lungs were made to illustrate air pollutants such as smog and carbon dioxide. Exhibit stands were made for each part of the anatomy.