Jessie CHoi
Growing up, I never considered trash as waste. I would look at waste and imagine another life for it. What was once a cardboard box would be crafted into a doll house. With just a pair of scissors and some glue, I transformed a box into a miniature castle, complete with makeshift furniture using bottle caps and fabric scraps. A simple cardboard is not just packaging ready to be thrown out; it is the foundation of endless possibilities of creation.
Repurposing trash is far more sustainable than recycling. What if artists consider recycled trash as a medium? With my desire to prolong the life of single-use trash such as packaging, I propose a system of instructional design that guides the audience through various ways to upcycle, offering an alternative to trashing or recycling.
In particular, I experiment with cardboard to create an easy and accessible way to create items like a pencil case, box, cable organizer, and mini drawer using a single stencil template. The template provides the base for multiple ways to fold and cut the desired surface material alongside an instructional manual with a thoughtful designed key symbol system, so that others can recreate these artifacts with limited supplies.
All in all, my work models the concept of “circular economies,” bringing new life to discarded materials. Through creating an instructional system I hope to incentivize engagement in sustainable practices by showcasing the creative potential of upcycling–one that shapes not only my childhood but also my perspective on the world around me.
How2Up-Cycle, 2024
Cardboard, 9 x 15 in.
Cardboard, 9 x 15 in.
How2Up-Cycle, 2024
Cardboard, 3 x 3 in.
Cardboard, 3 x 3 in.
How2Up-Cycle, 2024
Cardboard, 3 x 15 in.
Cardboard, 3 x 15 in.