KARSON SCHENK

2018 - 2019

This work is made entirely with found materials - magazines, newspapers, brochures, catalogs, usually glued onto cardboard. Learn more about this process here, and check out the digital work that was inspired by this.

This collage was made from an article about Chile - connecting the similarities in landscape of the snow covered mountains and the arctic habitat of the Polar Bear. This was prompted by an exploration of products, and the investments that Coca Cola (represented by iconic polar bears) have made in Chile in the past decade.

Bounding Hope is a 55" x 18" paper collage piece that connects the intersectionality of issues around human conflict and the environment, also addressing themes around family relationships and the role of youth.

The Caracal is a big cat with a habitat ranging from the Middle East to North Africa, known for its ability to survive brutal and extreme environments. (Just like the people that live here through the tension, stress, and fear of what each day could bring.) The Caracal in this collage is a kitten, it is bounding out of the desolation that lies behind it. The state of the environment after a war is not often talked about- and in this case, the young Caracal is a survivor, and a sign that the environment is still alive after a human conflict.

In the upper left there are scenes of violence, and to the right and below there are images of women and their actions in the face of conflict. Here the caracal is symbolic of a child- children are the hope of this region, and they are supported by Mothers; Mothers who are raising the hope for the future.

Featured in the GSP Journal here.