Artist(s)

Odessa Amaryllis

Carlina Velicer

Artist Statement

The United States is plagued by an ever-growing problem: waste. In their critique of the rampant cycles of production and consumption that fuel the urgent need for additional landfill space, artists Carly Velicer and Odessa Amaryllis explore a satirical future in which some of America's iconic natural sites serve as garbage dumps. Velicer and Amaryllis bring this future to life through their pseudo-company called "Pollution Solutions," which advertises its success in converting the Great Lakes and the Grand Canyon into landfills with unmatched capacity. The artists give viewers a glimpse into the reality advertised by Pollution Solutions by juxtaposing maps of the two sites with images of garbage. By imagining “solutions” that are far from practical, Velicer and Amaryllis highlight the scarcity of human accountability for environmental crises and its devastating consequences. If humanity continues down this path, how long before projects like this are not comically outrageous, but rather a reflection of reality?