Abstract, non-figurative, and non-objective art are all forms of non-representational expression. Though often used interchangeably, they each share a core principle: a removal from recognizable forms. The word abstract originates from the Latin abstrahere, meaning “to pull away” or “detach.” At its essence, abstract art is something separated from the physical or literal—a distillation of concept, feeling, or form.

In this series, discarded aerosol spray cans become unexpected vessels of abstraction. Crushed and flattened, these once-functional objects are now stripped of their original purpose. Their transformation—both in shape and symbolism—makes them ideal subjects for abstract interpretation. They are no longer containers of paint or pigment but have become sculptural remnants of human presence and environmental exposure.

Across the arid landscape surrounding "The Slabs," the desert floor is littered with every conceivable type of can. Few remain in their original form. Under the relentless desert sun, the metal becomes brittle, bleached, and discolored. Heat and time conspire to erode their structure, resulting in warped, flattened forms—accidental yet poetic, shaped by nature as much as by human neglect.

These altered objects speak to both deterioration and reinvention. Their deformations create new lines, textures, and tonal variations—characteristics commonly associated with abstract visual language. What once served a clear and utilitarian purpose now exists as ambiguous form: broken, reimagined, and strangely beautiful.

ABSTRACT

theoretical · conceptual · detached · indefinite · nonliteral · symbolic · unreal · transcendental · notional · hypothetical