Artificial Green Little Trees

Little Tree Air Freshener Series, 2015-19

Titles:  Little Tree Valley, Window View, and Yard Cubes
Dimensions: 24" x48" x6", 20" x24" x2"  and  24" x24" x24"
Media: Unscented Little Tree air fresheners, wood, adhesive, metal

Thanks to the support of the Little Tree Air freshener company, these unscented air fresheners without strings become landscapes that explore the relationship between consumption, desire, and nature, specifically addressing our drive to create a version of nature with which we are comfortable—one that is contained and controlled.  This tension is manifest in the oddity of places like Christmas tree farms, as well as the functional aesthetic of bales of hay.

Inspired by the sculptural qualities of these human manipulations of nature, I seek to draw attention to the dangers of over-manipulation and over-consumption for the sake of status and personal comfort. These works using unscented air fresheners illustrate how our values are expressed through what is preserved or sacrificed—unaltered natural space, communities, architecture, convenience, memories, relationships, or possessions.