A Waste Land by Dan Russell and Dauvit Alexander

Artist list

Dauvit Alexander, Dan Russell

Litter, fly-tipping, discards, waste, garbage, rubbish. Collecting this unpromising material, they have produced a thought-provoking collection of jewellery and wearable objects which will be displayed in an uncompromising environment, entirely built from the illegal discards of others. Hailing from either end of the country, the pair aim to criticize the habits of a nation examining why this isn't a localized problem contained within their individual surroundings, but instead a global dilemma with catastrophe-leading potential. Working from the concept of future archaeologists mining the accumulated waste as the planet slowly recovers from anthropogenic activity, they have created objects which challenge the idea of what is precious, recontextualising materials and diminishing the attitudes of apathy towards waste.  

Dauvit Alexander is a jeweller and educator, based in Birmingham at the world-renowned School of Jewellery. For nearly two decades, he has been working with found objects and scrap materials to create jewellery with a political, historical and social narrative, often taking his practice out into the community and working with marginalised groups such as refugees, young offenders and victims of violence.

Dan Russell is a jeweller/maker and gallery assistant based in Kent. A recent Alumni of UCA Rochester, he is known for working primarily with wood and other found objects gathered from his local surroundings to create wearable adornments with a social and environmental narrative. His most recent collection, Waste-Full World, a project about the impact of plastic waste and it's effects on sea-bird and marine life worldwide has since gone on to be exhibited throughout Europe and Asia.
 
A Waste Land will open at Vittoria Street Gallery in Birmingham’s Jewellery quarter during February and will travel to the award-winning Sun Pier House Gallery in Chatham Kent in March. All the work created will be disposed of ethically and sustainably at the end of the exhibition.


Vittoria Street Gallery
Located in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter the Vittoria Street Gallery is a unique exhibition venue situated within the School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University.  With its established reputation for education and an international research centre the School of Jewellery offers a prime location for our Gallery. Hosting a dynamic programme of exhibitions and events which spans the breadth of the jewellery discipline and other associated art and design practices.  We are affiliated to The Parkside Gallery within the Faculty of Arts Design and Media, Birmingham City University. The exhibition is open for viewing Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm , term time only.  Please note the gallery is not open at weekends.