TetraPAKMAN is committed to both environmental and social change, and creates thought-provoking sculptures and installations using materials most people consider trash: plastic bottles, metal cans, Tetra Pak cartons, bottle caps, yogurt containers, and so on. His inventive approach to his materials results in evolving sculptures that play with repetitive pattering, the movement of light and shadow, and structural ingenuity. Central to his artistic process is generating a network of people who not only provide the raw material for the sculpture, but also contribute their energy to the project by adding on segments to the larger piece over time. TetraPAKMAN leverages these interpersonal interactions to teach individuals and communities about environmental issues.
One of the central aims of TetraPAKMAN’s work has been to challenge people’s perceptions about packaging and other disposable materials. The process of involving the community in every stage of the projects gives participants an opportunity to re-imagine the possibilities and potentials of these materials in art, design, construction, and perhaps science. This system also provides an opportunity for everyone to take action; to demonstrate the use of alternatives as viable solutions to our contemporary societal problems.
The USgathering Project, TetraPAKMAN’s unique process, combines participatory workshops, energetic public/collective activities, specific materials gathering initiatives, school and office visits, development of monumental pieces, abstract art, alternative education, and environmental activism. USgathering is constantly exploring local support resources for these practices, as well as the possibilities for collaborative social sculpture projects with institutions, individuals and organizations.