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April 2017
Trash Masters To Benefit Open Space
By Martin Frentzel
Albuquerque‘ s Solid Waste Management Division estimates the city generates an average of more than 1,800 tons of trash daily. Fortunately, it doesn’ t all go to waste.
“ There are artists out there doing great things with your garbage,” says Kenny Chavez, who happens to be one of them.
Chavez started creating art from trash in the 1990s. He exhibits at Masks Y Mas, a store he manages in Nob Hill; at the Contemporary Hispanic Art Market in Santa Fe during the summer; and at the Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival held before Christmas.
This spring, Chavez and his husband, David Fisher, are helping the City of Albuquerque’ s Open Space Division produce and promote its annual Recycled Art Fair from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. April 29-30 at the Open Space Visitors Center, 6500 Coors NW.
A TWO-DAY SHOW Chavez describes his work as themed retablos or wall-hangings made from tins, cans and bottle caps that once contained cookies, candies, crackers, or soda. For 10 years, Chavez produced the Cinco de Mayo Folk Art & Music Festival. The show floated through artists’ neighborhoods until landing at Farm & Table in the North Valley for several years.
Two years ago he participated at the Open Space center’ s recycling fair, and this year he and Fisher, the promoter of the couple, teamed up with Open Space to grow the fair.
“ Parking was becoming a problem at Farm & Table,” Chavez says,“ and we wanted to make this a two-day event.”
He anticipates 40 artists will participate. Several bands and Chavez’ s signature contests should boost attendance. The watermelon seed spitting contest is set for 1:45 April 29, and the Flashy and Trashy Pet Costume Contest is set for 1:45 p. m. April 30.
Kenny Chavez creates Tin Men with bottle caps. Photo courtesy of Kenny Chavez
Schools participating in the youth art market at the Open Space event are Bosque School, Cien Aguas International School, South Valley Academy and Washington Middle School. The Open Space Alliance, Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Wemagination and Splash Trash Tour will be on hand to make the event instructive and beneficial for students.
“ The beautiful recycled art helps people see there are options to putting trash into the landfill,” says Kent Swanson, manager of the Open Space Visitor Center.“ But this event also is related to our outreach campaign for letting people know it’ s not OK to dump trash on our Open Space properties.”
THE BEAT GOES ON
In all, the City of Albuquerque owns more than 30,000 acres of public land along the outskirts
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of the city, from the volcanoes on the west to the Sandia Mountain foothills on the east.“ Historically, a lot of trash and debris accumulated on these properties, and our continued vigilance is needed to educate the public that these public lands are managed for recreation and wildlife habitat,” Swanson says.
Throughout the year Open Space organizes volunteer clean-up campaigns for the Rio Grande and trails across the City’ s properties. There is a City ordinance against dumping trash on the open space. Individuals who have supplies they believe could be recycled as art should consider donating them to Off Center( 808 Park Ave. SW) or Art Street( 1217 First St. NW), two non-profit art-based community organizations.
Chamizal MacPherson at Off
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