New Works

Troy Dugas uses vintage labels to create intricate and beautiful pieces that incite both reflection and familiarity. The works draw on inspiration from spiritual designs found in church windows and painted ceilings. The contrast between the meditative nature of the work and the ephemeral quality of the label creates a strong dialectic and a striking presence.

"My collages are made from vintage product labels purchased in unused bundles. The material is cut or shredded then arranged onto flat surfaces (paper, canvas, or wood) to produce artwork that appear woven. Repetition, pattern, precision, and scale are used to distract from the original purpose of the label to sell a product. The essential elements of color, shape, and line are utilized in a new way, and the altered context of the source material provides new meaning. The immediacy of the graphic label is substituted with aesthetic sensation and contemplation. There is a certain mischievous pleasure in the process of this transformation, and at the same time, a kind of meditation."

--Troy Dugas