PLASTIC

I started collecting plastic grocery bags in 2004 while living in Fairbanks Alaska. I gathered plastic from friends, family and recycling points at local grocery stores eventually filling seven 95 gallon garbage bags to overfilling. I then began to use them as a material for installation often paired with looped soundtracks ranging from a straight forward "thankyou, thankyou, thankyou very much and have nice day" to overlapping sounds of coins dropping, cash registers opening, gongs and more. The bags were handcut and tied into long reems of "ribbon" then wound on large wooden electrical spools for storage. The bags are in still in use today.

Phase I detail. The first of these installations. Plastic bags covered the ceiling and created forms that spilled onto the floor.	Phase I was accompanied by a looped and layered soundtrack featuring 7 voices repeating "Thank you, thank you, thank you very much, and have a good day".
Phase II took on a 3dimensional web form that could be walked around and through. It was accompanied by a looped soundtrack built from cash register, coins dropping, and other sounds.	Detail of the center of the Phase II installation.
Phase III utilized a wave form that could be walked under at most, but not all points.	Phase III utilized lighting that faded from left to right and a ocean wave soundtrack.
Installed at AVA Chattanooga, Phase VI framed a storefront window.	Phase VI as seen from outside.
Phase VI detail	Phase VI detail
Phase VII was a commission created for the Children's Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, TN.	Phase VII detail
Phase VII detail	Phase VII detail

Baggs McKelvey

Artist / Educator

Plastic

Phase I detail. The first of these installations. Plastic bags covered the ceiling and created forms that spilled onto the floor.

Phase I was accompanied by a looped and layered soundtrack featuring 7 voices repeating "Thank you, thank you, thank you very much, and have a good day".

Phase II took on a 3dimensional web form that could be walked around and through. It was accompanied by a looped soundtrack built from cash register, coins dropping, and other sounds.

Detail of the center of the Phase II installation.

Phase III utilized a wave form that could be walked under at most, but not all points.

Phase III utilized lighting that faded from left to right and a ocean wave soundtrack.

Installed at AVA Chattanooga, Phase VI framed a storefront window.

Phase VI as seen from outside.

Phase VI detail

Phase VI detail

Phase VII was a commission created for the Children's Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, TN.

Phase VII detail

Phase VII detail

Phase VII detail