Scrapyard Abstraction

The fabric of everyday life is saturated with the discarded and the overlooked. So much so that, depending on one’s approach, this “scrapyard reality” could become a curse for some and an opportunity for others. This last is the case of artist Machteld Rullens (b. 1988, The Hague, Netherlands), who pierces through the mountain of waste surrounding us with a playful approach to materials, unveiling potential resonances between the artificial and the natural world. In Scrapyard Abstraction—Rullens’ second publication with Zolo Press—all this transformative energy redesigns and reimagines the formal qualities of everyday objects and the environment surrounding her. The book documents three years full of artworks, friendships, family time, and trips —from Senegal to New York City, from Los Angeles to Amsterdam and rural Holland. In a world where complexity often takes center stage, the book is a manifesto for a joyous balance between the effortless and the profound, inviting the reader to appreciate beauty in simplicity and elegance in resourcefulness.