Living Sculpture – Kim Lorello – Drawing 1

Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you live in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?

Living Sculpture

MARY MATTINGLY

By Kim Lorello
Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you live in Sculpture?is it still art? Can Art change your way of living?



Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.

Triple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her.Tracing the path an object made to her, and asking why do I need to own this? Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Does lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials lead to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.She also made wearable sleep spaces. Are these Art? Are these sculpture?
Moving forward:

Mary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Mary’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island,lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. This is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.                  

    2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Mary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Mattingly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like. Personal ResponseIn looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    Living SculptureMARY MATTINGLYBy Kim Lorello
    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?



    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.Triple IslandTriple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.
    Moving forwardMary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

  • Consumerism

    • Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

  • Lack

    • In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.       3.   Shared Resources           The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like.

    In looking over Mary’s older work and newest, one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for freedom to create. Consumerism, and via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle are all questions to settle for one’s self. My questioning has also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?

    Mary Mattingly Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.
    References:https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-workwww. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.htmlFor video information on Swale:www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0    vvvv

    Living Sculpture

    MARY MATTINGLY

    By Kim Lorello

    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?

    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.

    Triple Island

    Triple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.

    Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.

    Moving forward

    Mary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

    1. Consumerism

    Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

    1. Lack

    In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.

    1.       Shared Resources

              The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like.

    Personal Response

    In looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?

    Mary Mattingly

    Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.

    References:

    https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-work

    www. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.html

    For video information on Swale:

    www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0

    Living Sculpture

    MARY MATTINGLY

    By Kim Lorello

    Sculpture as a Living thing? Can you habitate in Sculpture? Can Art change your lifestyle?

    Mary Mattingly, back in 2013 began an idea of creating sculpture that was addressing common issues of urban life. Consumerism, lack, and sharing of resources.

    Triple Island

    Triple Island was the culmination of her first sculptures that were in the Port Authority in NY/NJ. The first sculpture series “Owns Up” lead to questions in her own mind as to why we have consumerism that has us owning too many objects. She  online documented her personal objects at Ownit.us. As part of that research she traced each objects beginning–metals and the path it made to get to her. Many objects supported companies who made war. In this she felt that our shared world was on a path that would lead to apocalypse . Does mass consumerism pollute and leave people with needs greater than their ability to pay for?  Lack of money or lack of time, if working too long to pay for basics and essentials leads to a life that is drudgery rather than full. Food lack was also a common theme in urban areas. Seeing this on a daily basis caused her to question and respond in a photographic and sculptural manner.

    Triple Island was a response to the lack of space, lack of food and a consumerism lifestyle. All of these has lead  to a thinker’s response of building a sculpture of 3 floating live spaces. These were garden/greenhouse, sleep/living space, and a communal area. Her first sculptures were similar but were not floating. These were pods of personal living space that were both sculpture in parks and a place to sneak in and sleep. She also made portable pods that were similar in design.

    Moving forward

    Mary’s current projects still come out of these first ideas.

    1. Consumerism

    Matterly’s online photography for her first sculptures and also for Triple Island. Lead her to question, how much does she need? Indeed, how much do any of us need? Is this a want created to feed a consumerism machine? Does this generate good for the individual or is it feeding something unwanted? War? Environmental degradation? Personal lack?

    1. Lack

    In Mary’s world, many suffered from the need for affordable living or work spaces. Her ideas to create living sculpture pods were a way to see how she could stay in a major urban area even if the worst possible living conditions happened. She explored communal space, personal space in a place that no one else wanted. Allowing for resources normally spent on apartment or studio space to go to other areas. Seeing that food and habitation are inevitably intertwined lead to a current 2018 Floating Garden food source in NYC, Brooklyn area. The is a barge that grows food and travels along the riverside. It is a completely free food source.

    1.       Shared Resources

              The 2018 “Swale” a Floating Forest on the Bronx River supports a purpose of shared public food. It offers both food and the opportunity for conversations around growing food and food freedom. www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0 Artists designing gardens that can both be beautiful and food producing is from time spent  reflecting on Monet’s Garden in France. It also is looking at food freedom. If you are in a state of lack or held hostage by costs Mary wants you to consider what freedom feels like.

    Personal Response

    In looking over Mary’s older work and newest one can find a personal response that questions is art a personal living space? Is this sculpture?  But moving from the initial visual response of pods and junk–which is really what the first photo looks like. I see the art response to a hard question of finance, space for life and for consumerism. Via extension the commercial and materialistic machine that drive the have more, buy more lifestyle. I have also explored building community garden spaces and building a food resource in several places. One failed, one still exists. The biggest problem I found was many do not wish to share. Many who become involved will not share food or space. Things become very territorial. As an art project, these are not always classically beautiful but ask us to respond and consider and interact with ourselves and with an unknown future. How will I continue to live and work in my chosen place if I have little to no money?

    Mary Mattingly

    Mary’s initial  responses to her own and other community members consumerism,  basic essentials and the idea of sharing resources has put her on a path toward art activism and environmental activism. These are both personal responses and communal responses that she asks us all to question and participate in. Do we contribute to bettering our futures or do we enable powers that will bring about a failure for all humanity? Can one or two or twelve living pods, floating gardens, or people make a change that benefits all? Or does this only empower a limited few?   Mary Mattingly invites you in; to sit down, to live in, to eat and think and to answer the questions she raises.

    References:

    https://art21.org/gallery/mary-mattingly-artist-at-work

    www. marymattingly.com./html/MaryMattinglyBlog.html

    For video information on Swale:

    www.youtu.be/hJXw3qnOg0

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