Found Objects

Found objects are materials 'found' (such as pebbles, industrial cast-offs, candy wrappers) and not specifically made for artistic purposes (such as inks, paints, and crayons) but which are nonetheless found to have aesthetic appeal. Some people collect these objects. Others use them to make art. Such art is called found art.

In the mid-20th century, Picasso led the way by using a basket and handlebars from a bicycle to create the armature for an appealing goat sculpture. Dadaists exhibited banal objects to satirize and explore esthetics; to the Dadaists a urinal was a beautiful form, and considered sculpture.

Found objects became relevant to the wider public in the 1960's when recycling and 'taking care of Mother Earth' became emphasized: the public began to realize that trash could not simply be destroyed; even its destruction by burning or burying led to more pollution. Found objects were therefore looked upon more carefully. They have a history of a once meaningful place in life somewhere. Found objects were the Rodney Dangerfield of the artworld; they deserved more respect simply by being.

Found objects have shape, color, texture--all the elements needed to create design. Flat paper collage, and relief-sculpture montages were no longer considered dynamic enough to create the forms necessary for expression of mid-20th century values. Found objects could be flat or 3-dimensional and so they expanded the possibilities of expressive art forms.