Maureen Fritchen: See Foam

Maureen Fritchen’s exhibition showcases the impact of consumerism on our environment. Fritchen uses industrial waste materials as her principal medium, repurposing non-biodegradable polyethylene foam (PE) used in a wide variety of packaging. While PE is technically recyclable, in practice there are very few options for collection and most PE ends up in landfills or the natural environment. The biomorphic shapes and forms Fritchen creates are beautiful and sensual, in bright happy hues of pink and turquoise. They are both alluring and disturbing.

“The materials I use can dictate how forms emerge and lead to surprising outcomes,” explains Fritchen. “Play is vital to my process; it allows me the freedom to fail.” Her installation at the Watrous Gallery will include free-standing sculpture and large-scale wall reliefs that evoke life in the ocean, creating a colorful, whimsical space with an undercurrent of serious concern for the environment.