Finding a new purpose: Arte de Descartes celebrates recycled art movement

Finding new purpose is the mission of recycled artists.

This is why the artists come together to showcase the new pieces in the Arte de Descartes in Taos.

The event is marking its 23rd year and is sponsored by Taos textile recycler, Wholly Rags.

According to event curator Melissa Larson, the show represents work made from a wide variety of materials such as discarded metal, scraps of wood, cloth, glass, plastic, paper and more. “Many of the artists have decades of experience and unique styles,” Larson says.

Arte de Descartes kicks off from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Stables Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte in Taos.

The show runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Sept. 4.

According to Larson, the show’s purpose is to prove that there is value in reusing old trash.

She says the use of unusual objects creates an impressive inventiveness that might otherwise not be seen in conventional art shows.

“Recycled art, also known as trash art or junk art, consisting of mostly free materials, with no need for expensive paints or canvases, is accessible to a large diversity of people who only require creative inspiration and talent,” she says.

Arte de Descartes and Wholly Rags started 23 years ago with the help of Jean Nichols and Violette Alby who were, at the time, working together to establish free boxes as a solution to the surplus of clothes being thrown away in Taos and Peñasco. The idea for the name of the art show came from the Spanish word for discards, descartes.

“The show has built up a reputation of being a fun show,” Larson says. “All the different mediums and all the different types of expression. It’s a special show.”

Larson says each piece has to be made out of recycled material.

“I like to see what comes out of the artists’ imaginations. There are some random themes. Some have similar themes like political expression,” she says. “There’s always a unique expression from each artist. And when you look closely at the pieces, you begin to realize that all of the items used could have been thrown away, but the artist saved them and gave them new life.”