Spent 2009

Curator: Clarissa Tossin's installation, "Spent," currently resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's essentially a scatter of what looks like discarded items. Editor: My first thought is, "What a mess!" But then, seeing it here, elevated...it makes me feel like I'm observing the remnants of something important. Curator: These are all simulations of everyday disposable objects. Each piece is hand-crafted, a white echo of things we use and then thoughtlessly discard. Look closely, and you'll see crumpled tissues, cotton swabs, even a spent toilet paper roll. Editor: It really makes you pause. White on wood, it’s almost ghostly. We’re so used to seeing these items in a rush, in the background. To see them isolated, recreated...it feels like a commentary on waste, and perhaps, our own transience. Curator: Indeed. The mundane takes on symbolic weight. These discarded items mirror the ephemerality of our actions and their environmental impact. Editor: It’s like a still life of modern anxiety. Beautifully disturbing. Now I need to go clean my bathroom. Curator: I agree. It is an impactful visual reminder of our daily habits. A powerful piece to end our tour with, I think.