Looking for something?

Tap outside or press close

Pieces of litter which are actually wooden sculptures

On the first inspection, you would believe that you're looking at discarded packaging and general litter. When in fact, it's a detailed painting and carved wooden sculpture by artist Tom Pfannerstill.

Written By:
All images courtesy of the artist

All images courtesy of the artist

The series of artworks, entitled From The Street, are carefully crafted, carved and painted, trompe l’oeil depictions of everyday common objects. On the back of each piece is a description of where and when he found this ‘gift from the street’ and so, they provide a record that mirrors his movements through time and space.

He explains: "In the most obvious sense these pieces speak to issues of commercialism and consumerism. The objects reflect state-of-the-art-graphics; one can almost sense the well-planned and psychologically tested schemes to sell the products.

"They are a testament to the effectiveness of that marketing, after all, someone made the decision to purchase the product before consuming it and discarding the packaging. What happens next, though, is of greatest interest to me. These pieces are carried away and undergo a unique series of events that lead to their individuation."

Weathered wooden carved and painted Starbucks coffee cup with order checkboxes and branding, created by artist Tom Pfannerstill as part of his From The Street series
Wooden sculpture carved and painted to resemble a weathered vintage 3-in-1 Household Oil tin with a red label, nozzle and visible wear marks
Wooden sculpture carved and painted to resemble a discarded Barnum's Animals cracker box with fabric scraps, alongside a crushed milk carton, by Tom Pfannerstill
Carved and painted wooden sculpture of a crushed red and blue drink carton with a metallic pull-tab by Tom Pfannerstill
Carved and painted wooden sculpture of a crumpled Camel Lights cigarette packet, realistically depicting weathered packaging with a camel illustration and gold striping
Carved wooden sculpture painted to resemble crumpled Pabst Blue Ribbon beer packaging and cans arranged in a collage
Carved and painted wooden sculpture of a crumpled Coca-Cola Classic cup with green straw by Tom Pfannerstill, resembling discarded litter
Wooden sculpture carved and painted to resemble a crumpled Cracker Jack snack box with a toy surprise seal and sailor mascot, part of Tom Pfannerstill's From The Street series
Weathered red and white Coca-Cola can packaging carved and painted as a wooden sculpture by Tom Pfannerstill, with metal bands and a wooden knob attached to the top
A wooden sculpture carved and painted to resemble a crumpled Goldfish Cheddar snack cracker packet with a yellow fish character visible on the packaging
Weathered wooden sculpture carved and painted to resemble a crumpled Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket, featuring the brand's logo and Colonel Sanders' face
Carved wooden sculpture by Tom Pfannerstill depicting a crumpled blue and brown paint thinner packet with wooden brushes protruding from the top
Painted wooden sculpture of a crumpled Burger King cup featuring SpongeBob SquarePants with exaggerated wide eyes and open mouth, with green spots on yellow background
Wooden carved and painted sculpture of a red Tide detergent bottle packaging by Tom Pfannerstill
Share