salvage — Thérèse Lynch

Thérèse Lynch

Artist & Filmmaker

The video of Salvage is on show in the John Muir Trust Creative Freedom exhibition 18th March - 28th June 2024

Café Tissardmine is in the Moroccan Sahara. I was artist in residence in March 2023.

Café Tissardmine is in the Moroccan Sahara. I was artist in residence in March 2023.

Daily, I’d walk for a couple of hours, picking up rubbish along the way. Usually plastic bottles, discarded by tourists. Sometimes rope or bags.

Daily, I’d walk for a couple of hours, picking up rubbish along the way. Usually plastic bottles, discarded by tourists. Sometimes rope or bags.

While most was prepared for disposal by the café’s staff, I played around with a few interesting scraps.

While most was prepared for disposal by the café’s staff, I played around with a few interesting scraps.

Salvage emerged.

Salvage emerged.

Installed outside the cafe, it looks like a field of Spring blossoms, temporary, fragile. Belying the belligerent permanence of the materials.

Installed outside the cafe, it looks like a field of Spring blossoms, temporary, fragile. Belying the belligerent permanence of the materials.

I found out, towards the end of my stay, the rubbish I removed from the desert was most-likely burnt.

I found out, towards the end of my stay, the rubbish I removed from the desert was most-likely burnt.

Salvage; dedicated to our perpetual struggle with the overabundance of useful but non-biodegradable waste.

Salvage; dedicated to our perpetual struggle with the overabundance of useful but non-biodegradable waste.