Margaret Garrington

THE
LOOZA BOTTLE PROJECT

Concept:

The LOOZA Bottle Project is a collaborative installation artwork in which throwaway materials are repurposed in an homage to the art of product design.

Background:

The project’s design stemmed from my being taken with the lovely form of a glass juice container: LOOZA fruit juice a product of Belgium. We don’t think much about this in our daily lives, but behind everything packaged there is an artist/designer. Most packaging has a utilitarian requirement that is met with a great lack of aesthetics, but product design is sometimes raised to a level of art. Look at Italian design. Whoever designed the Looza bottle has an aesthetic I can appreciate. Because recycling these bottles to be crushed somehow felt wrong, I kept them one by one. Over time more juice was purchased both for the quality of the unusual flavors, as well as, the container. I was not at first sure which carried precedence.

Design:

As a painter of contemporary landscapes with serious concerns about conservation and preservation of the environment, I try my best to reduce, recycle, reuse, or compost. How could I address these concepts in an art piece? Rather than recycling, how could LOOZA Bottles be repurposed? The shape of the bottles made me think of how the forms might be arranged in a composition of glass containers. Then it struck me to start saving bits and pieces of things being thrown away and filling bottles with one kind of thing eg: tea bag covers, rubber bands, twist ties, plastic lids, corks, blue plastic bags, German Shepherd dog hair, dryer lint, shredded paper, etc. etc. Repurposing taken to a level of art, the Looza Bottle Project is envisioned as a monumental wall with about 300 stacked bottles.

How you can be a part of this project:

There are limits to my trash and my ability to drink enough juice. That is why to be successful, the LOOZA Bottle project needs you. If you are interested in being a part of this art collaboration:

Run to Shop N Kart and buy LOOZA juice in a flavor of your choice (juice aisle bottom shelf). The juice is also sold at the Ashland Food Coop and in Medford at Winco Foods.
Drink the juice, remove label, clean the bottle, and keep the cap.
In the bottle save something you would normally throw away (please, nothing organic that rots). When filled, recap.
Do as many bottles as you please. It's allowed and encouraged to be creative with how you put an item in the bottle.
Drop off at Hanson Howard Gallery at 82 N. Main Street, Ashland or email me at margar@mind.net and tell me you are ready to be part of this project.

Remember, Looza Juice Bottles can be purchased at the Ashland Shop N Kart, Ashland food Coop and Winco Foods.

                            READ THE ARTICLE FROM THE ASHLAND DAILY TIDINGS
                            ABOUT THE LOOZA BOTTLE PROJECT
                            Click here: Ashland Daily Tiding Article - Oct 27, 2007

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