Objectified Rags to Riches or My 'Slumdog Millionaire' Art Piece Pick!

Since one aspect of my 'living an artful life' blog is to promote the eco-conscious in art making, I like to highlight artists/designers that use materials and resources in fresh, evocative ways. Sometimes that means recycling old objects to make something new, and sometimes it means using the material that is so plentifully available all around us to make something sustainable and usable - so this post I give you Stuart Haygarth whose chandeliers are my slumdog millionaire art piece pic of the day!

Stuart Haygarth's Optical Chandelier

In the movie Slumdog Millionaire, an over-wrought, inundated, economically-severed place (the slums of Mumbai India) give birth to two children who end up orphaned but not destitute- since they are filled with illuminating hope for a future destiny to love each other. Their brilliance of life becomes manifested through a "Who Wants to be a Millionaire televsion show" and a brutal accusation of cheating. Now this may seem as a stretch, but my artist eyes see that same story line when I see Stuart Haygarth's chandeliers...objects plentiful, disregarded, over-wrought, inundated give off such a spectacular shape, form and light.

Stuart Haygarth's Tide Chandelier

So seeing as Slum Dog Millionaire was the big winner at the Oscars last night - I only thought it fitting to find an artist who I think is the 'slumdog-millionaire-designer' of the day! Some of the objects that make up these chandeliers are objects that you would find a plenty in landfills, dollar stores or in your pantry.Mr. Haygarth collects, cleans and categorizes these objects (sometimes for years) before composing them into forms.

My work is about giving banal and overlooked objects a new significance. The finished piece of work takes various forms such as chandeliers, installations, functional and sculptural objects. - ^{excerpt from Stuart Haygarth's online posted profile.}

Detail of Stuart Haygarth's Selffridge Harpoon 321

So who is Stuart Haygarth? Well, I discovered this artist/designer/lighting designer through design sites and blogs such as the Design Museum and Moco Loco. Mr. Haygarth is an England born artist who for many projects and commissions uses objects that are debris found along the coastline of Dungeness Beach in Kent, UK, such as this Selffridge named Harpoon321 made of found rubber fisherman gloves that have changed in tints and tones as they have been used and worn. To see more and to learn more about Stuart Haygarth another good link is Icon Magazine Online<

As for Slum Dog Millionaire if you haven't seen it- you must! It will defy any preconceived notions you have, illuminate the forgotten joy you had in love and thrill you the way a great movie should. And, if you're a comment leaving type - let me know about the unexpected and unlikely places you find beauty!