Harriete Estel Berman Interview

American artist Harriete Estel Berman works with recycled tin cans to construct artwork ranging from jewelry and teacups to entire lawns of social commentary. By using recycled tin cans, she is removing material from the waste stream of our society.

Berman’s work has been shown throughout the United States, and in Europe and Africa. Her work is included in the permanent collections of 12 museums and included in over 25 books.

She is currently writing an ongoing series of Professional Guidelines for artists to promote understanding, checklists, and practical solutions for recurring issues in the art and craft community. The Professional Guidelines are available on her web site.

EG: Ecoguerilla loves your recycled art, especially the collection of recycled teacups and teapots. What inspired you for this artistic project?

The teacups titled Consuming Conversation are a variant edition of 200 cups constructed from recycled tin cans as a commentary about our consumer society. Each cup has its own identity made from recycled packaging from a particular product.  Collectively they symbolize the abundance of the marketplace and how shopping is both a form of social interaction and entertainment.

Tinted resin fills each cup as if it were "tea". Floating on the top of each cup are letters cut from tin forming phrases or comments quoted from advertising, a metaphor for the pervasive, in-your-face marketing that constantly prods us in our consumer culture.

A concealed rod holds each stack of cups together in a precarious position. Not unlike our current economy which has been severely impacted by overspending and over-consumption as a lifestyle.
The Teapots are a commentary about the perception of value in our consumer society. Based on historical or iconic objects, the dimensions of these reincarnations are enlarged two or three times compared to the original as a "super-size me" statement about excess consumption. Is more really better, even if you never wanted that much in the first place?

Your readers can find more information about each teapot by clicking on the images on my web site.
Each piece has an artist statement with specific information about each piece.

EG: Why do you use recycled elements in your artwork?

My recycling efforts started in 1980 long before curbside recycling or the current recycling movement. I would go to great lengths to recycle glass, cans, newspapers, magazines etc. like a recycling “crazy person”.

The focus on using recycled tin cans began in 1988 when I felt a need for a radical change in my work. I just couldn’t stand the idea of adding one more thing to the excessive abundance of our consumer culture. By using recycled tin cans, I was removing material from the waste stream of our society. It was an environmental choice and a way to communicate this environmental message and bring attention to the materials we throw away every day.  

EG: Where do you get these materials?

In the beginning, my father and sister would find most of my tins. They live on the East Coast where there are tons of junky flea markets, church sales, yard sales, etc. They still send me tins, but now, total strangers send tin cans from all over the United States. Sometimes they send a tin that is special to them, one or two they couldn’t just throw away. It could be their mothers’ old cookie tin, or blue and white “Puske” (charity boxes) from the Jewish National Fund.

It was really interesting to me that at the end of the film “The Reader”, a tin can was used to convey the idea of a journey through life, a container of memories, and a symbol of connections.

EG: Are the Jewel Gemstone Earrings constructed from recycled tin cans your latest artwork?

I just made the Jewel Gemstone Earrings as an “experiment” for my Etsy shop. These are brief diversions from a major series of work that has taken the last two years. Sometimes it just feels great to shift gears to make something that can be finished in a day or two.

EG: How long did it take to make one pair of earrings?

The answer is more complicated than you might expect. The first series of earrings took me about six months to work out a range of problems. Despite the humble nature of this material, I have high expectations for the finished work. Now I am using a repertoire of forms created during that period of time, plus my 21 years of experience working with tin cans. Usually, I can make a pair of earrings in 2-3 hours.

EG: What are three things most people don't know about gemstone industry?

The impact of the gemstone industry is not only about gems. The gems are usually set in precious metals. The mining processes for both the gems and metals leave a detrimental impact on the environment. The high value of these precious materials leads to enormous social and political consequences. The money is extracted as quickly as possible but the long term costs are left for the poorest people to endure and for future generations to clean up.

EG: How does art relate to the environment?

Not all art relates to the environment, but I have decided to include an environmental message as an underlying comment in all my work. I try to use humor, craftsmanship, and substantive content to help people recognize and comprehend the issues and impact of our consumer society. 

For example, the Grass series specifically addresses the environmental impact of the green lawn. We use herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers to sustain the image of the perfect green lawn. Then we water the lawn with our drinking water which washes all these chemicals into our ground water and streams. The list of detrimental issues related to lawns goes on, including the exposure of our children to the chemicals on lawns.

EG: Will your artwork inspire people to do something about their attitudes towards the planet?

I wish that were true…but to be realistic I can only hope that it does. It seems that a lot of people choose to ignore the issues and don’t want to be inconvenienced or feel the burden of personal responsibility.
As a small example, just think about the environmental impact of frozen prepared food. The prepared food needs to be trucked to a processing plant, processed to fit into a standard serving-size, cooled to freeze, shipped in a freezer truck, kept in a freezer at the grocery store and at home, and finally reheated to serve while the excessive packaging fills the land fill as not recyclable. That is a lot of energy that we and our food industry must buy from foreign oil suppliers. Add the packaging that is not recyclable and the less healthy nutritional value of processed food. This is just one category of items that many people use every day. The marketers of consumer goods stimulate and then feed our wants and desires for their own profit. 

Before we make a purchase, we need to think of the unspoken consequences before giving in to impulses. The issues may be global but even small choices that each of us makes everyday can help. It is very easy to carry your own reusable bag for shopping. You can easily decline a bag for just one or two items. Do you really need more of the super-size junk?  

I certainly hope to inspire people to take personal responsibility and change their habits. I’d like to think that my work helps a bit by raising the issues and highlighting the concerns in a thoughtful and sometimes humorous way.

EG: As environmentalism is becoming mainstream have you seen an increase in interest in your art?

When I first started working with recycled materials, using trash to make art was unheard of. Now there is this growing awareness of art made from recycled materials. There are definitely more shows around this kind of theme and blogs that have included my work.

I also see so much superficial and fake “eco” consciousness. A lot of consumer goods are tapping into going green with very shallow modifications. The good news is that this indicates a definite shift in public attitudes, but when it really comes down to changing people’s lifestyles, it’s harder to see progress.

All this is good and gives my work slightly more visibility due to the green movement. But my work is not simply about the environment. My work also comments on a broad range of topics such as the art world, women’s issues, and society in general. I appreciate the focus on one aspect of my work and hope that the audience will see and find the many other content messages in my work.