The Temple of Trash

Upcycled functional art series

Discipline:

Exhibition | Art

Location:

Taichung, Taiwan

Year:

2020 - 2021

Yellow foam sculpture with painted blue eyes and black smile, resembling a friendly character face.

The Temple of Trash | Studio Minofmeer

Summary

An ongoing collaboration turning discarded materials into functional art. Working with studios including Woodtomdoit, Studio Gimp, and YidaCNC, the series uses luffa, rush grass, bamboo, foam, metals, and more to test how “dirty” materials can carry beauty and use. The playful trash mascots greet visitors and set the tone: sustainability through wit, structure, and craft.

Specs
Various dimensions · luffa, rush grass, bamboo, marble, polyester, nylon, styrofoam, assorted metals · Minofmeer + partners · Lei Gallery, Taichung · 2020–2021 (ongoing)

Process

Approach
1. Remote collaboration during lockdowns: shared sketches, material lists, and tests across teams; Minofmeer coordinated scope and cadence.
2. Studio sprints explored waste behaviors (foam, nylon, metals) and joint strategies; trash mascots emerged as a joint concept and were iterated together.
3. As restrictions eased, works were consolidated, finished, and installed; mixes of hand-stitching, machining, and quick repair methods achieved show-ready durability.

Challenges
Inconsistent quality from second-rate materials led to weak joints and uneven finishes—required fast reinforcement methods and selective surface treatments.

Insights
Upcycling succeeds when durability testing happens early and the story stays visible in the structure; coordination is the real tool that turns scraps into a coherent show.

Natural luffa gourd with fibrous texture on white surface showing organic material structure.

The Temple of Trash

Upcycled functional art series

Summary

Process

Let’s work together

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