Live Art Installation: ATS 2025

In support of the client at ATS 2025, we also designed a separate activation in support of other initiatives surrounding client interests. These interests were in support of a greener, more sustainable world. At the request of owner stakeholders we devised an artistic activation to illustrate a desire for a more sustainable future.

The project started with an idea and a few sketches. The concept: use waste that would otherwise be part of a larger pattern of excess garbage from the exhibit industry, and instead, turn it into something with meaning and beauty. With the exhibit location in San Francisco, I started by researching local artists in the area for expertise in found art. After some time I came upon a program called Recology.

The Recology program is the local waste management facility of San Francisco, and the pre-eminent one in the United States. The system operates on a 3-tier system of recycleables, compost and landfill. In addition to this, Recology also had it's own artist in residence program that had been in operation for more than 30 years. After speaking with the program director and creating a brief, I put the concept out to bid and received a variety of responses. Three of these would become "The Recology Crew" - our superstar artists with a variety of skillsets in found obects to build out a full installing over 6 days.

After weeks of concepting, collaborating and approvals we finally agreed on an armature, loosely shaped like lungs in recognition of the exhibit focus, and various logistics. We build the armature and planned for onsite marketing and tactics, while the artists began to hone their skillsets in a way that would be applicable onsite. The result: an incredibly organic and fulfilling experience that saw visitor traffic, investment and return rates like no other. The idea of a live art sculpture being built out of exhibit refuse during that timeframe of the same show made real connections to those attending the space.