Photos from the Disposable and Indispensable Workshop on March 24th with Jaime Alvarez and RAIR.

A free workshop about sustainability in a time of built-in obsolescence, hosted by RAIR and Jaime Alvarez. People brought personal objects that are of significance to them or found objects that resonated with in the workshop. The workshop was on how the creative process can enhance our understanding of the disposable. Jaime Alvarez took photographs of the attendees with objects that held sentimental value or they found interesting.

Revolution Recovery, where RAIR is housed, receives tons of waste everyday, the majority being construction and demolition materials. In addition to the drywall and lumber, resident artists are given access to the waste from home clean outs as well. During this workshop, RAIR will discuss and showcase a survey of past artist projects that have dealt with the personal ephemera type waste from their site. RAIR artists, like Jaime Alvarez, have found countless ways to investigate, chastise, mourn, and celebrate our contemporary consumption practices.

RAIR is a nonprofit organization that builds awareness about sustainability issues through art and design. Situated inside a construction and demolition waste recycling company in northeast Philadelphia, RAIR offers artists studio space and access to more than 400 tons of materials per day. Since 2010, RAIR has provided a unique platform for artists to work at the intersection of art, industry, and sustainability, while producing content that challenges perceptions of waste culture.

The workshop is part of Taller’s Diálogo Series, whose goal is to deepen our understanding of broader social issues of struggle, community, economic upheaval, and identity. Funding for Diálogo has been provided by a generous grant from PNC Arts Alive, a multi-year initiative of the PNC Foundation dedicated to supporting visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement in new and innovative ways.