Joseph Pine is currently enrolled as an MFA candidate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. In 2013, Joseph received his BFA in from the State University of New York at New Paltz after studying under the tutelage of renowned artists Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Jamie Bennett, Kerianne Quick, Arthur Hash, and John Cogswell. Joseph worked as the Instructional Support Technician for the Metal program at SUNY New Paltz from September 2013 to January 2015.
Joseph Pine
Statement
My work is an exploration of use, function, and the lives of objects. Utilitarian objects are often overlooked, save for those moments when their intended function is disrupted. A frozen computer screen, a hole in a shoe or scratches in the lining of a frying pan all call into direct consciousness the thingness of the object itself. I am interested in our cultural urge to replace rather than restore; I seek to examine the roles that refurbished or repaired objects may play in everyday life. My work is an exploration of the visibility of scars that many utilitarian objects bear; it is a reflection of my refusal to yield to a throw away society. Your trash is my treasure, and I aim to treat damaged objects in the same way I would treat a damaged person: with respect and care.
With roots in the history of functional copper wares, my current work is growing to include objects which, after being damaged, might rightfully be called rubbish. Broken glass and cut mass-produced locks become fodder for my inquiry into the present, past and future role of mending and the mended object.
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Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.
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