When visiting the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio with my cousins June and Nancy, a huge sculpture immediately captured my attention.
It dominated the back wall of the entry hall, a 3D rainbow of recycled paper, cardboard, and plastic.
The sculptor, Lisa Hoke, titled the piece “The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be” in a nod to baseball player Yogi Berra, who was famous for employing the English language in surprising and humorous ways. I don’t know exactly what Lisa intended when she chose that title for this piece, but it seems appropriate.
This work of art features colorful patterns created by discarded packaging of consumer goods, mostly paper and plastic.
Trash, really.
But Lisa has mindfully and creatively transformed refuse into something beautiful– and useful, too—for art satisfies the senses and stimulates thoughts and feelings.
Here’s what this piece brought to my mind: We are trashing our planet. Landfills are overflowing and oceans have become dumping grounds. Imagine if we could do what Lisa has done, only in our real lives and on a larger scale–by making less garbage, of course, but finding ways to make the most of it.
Our deck is made of recycled plastic. Paper products like toweling, books, and stationary are made of recycled paper. Instead of adding countless plastic grocery bags to the landfill, cloth shopping bags can be used again and again.
There’s no doubt that Yogi was right—the future ain’t what it used to be. But wouldn’t it be a fine thing to recycle the old future into a better one for ourselves and our children?
All photos and words c 2013Naomi Baltuck
Click here for more interpretations of The Weekly Travel Theme: Sculpture.
Writing Between the Lines 