Doug Pearsall likes to involve the viewer in his work, whether through teasing associations or participatory interactivity. He cites a number of influences ranging from folk to several periods of classic, modern and postmodern art. The projects he undertakes involve mixing materials, media, imagery and other elements to create spaces that entice, engage & challenge. Pearsall has two primary artistic goals: to create work that is about transformation and to radically reformat the art viewing experience.

Pearsall’s works are featured in Diverted Destruction 6, our annual found object and assemblage show.  CAAM, the California African American Museum and The Loft at Liz’s co-curate this year’s Diverted Destruction 6 found object assemblage show. Diverted Destruction presents works from cast-off objects often destined for landfill.  This show marks the first time the museum will be collaborating with a private gallery to introduce local African American artists to new audiences at new venues.

CAAM, the California African American Museum and The Loft at Liz’s co-curate this year’s Diverted Destruction 6 found object assemblage show. Diverted Destruction, now in its sixth year, presents works from cast-off objects often destined for landfill.  This show marks the first time the museum will be collaborating with a private gallery to introduce local African American artists to new audiences at new venues.

“Long before I began to use recycled materials to create collage and mixed media art, I made collages from various exotic papers that I bought.  Then I took a trip to Taiwan and while there I saved receipts, subway tickets, brochures, maps and some packaging.  The idea was to collect souvenirs but also use the souvenirs as artistic fodder for future work.  This was the beginning of my journey to using recycled materials. Sometime later I took a class on the history of collage and using what I learned, I created new work in the medium. I selected grocery bags as the source materials because I noted two things-the power of advertising in focusing attention and stimulating interest in a product and that some brands are so familiar they have become cultural icons. Hence the Imploding Grocery Bag was born.

Working with the grocery bags transformed my creative direction in collage and the current results are a new series of collages that update the IGB concept. My current project, “Elevated Ephemera” explores how something impermanent can be made permanent by transforming it into art. The project also demonstrates how familiar imagery reformatted-rendered ambiguous while remaining recognizable.  I find utilizing collage in this way to be a fascinating method of making a statement with materials usually discarded.”