About Wheatpaste Studio / tony Battaglia

My work is inspired by the forms of nature and their contrast with the shapes and textures of the human world. More specifically, I like to depict and explore the tension that exists between natural landscapes and the colors and textures of human pollution and waste. To that end, my pieces always at least include and are often entirely constructed of discarded and unwanted materials that would otherwise become landfill.

My “grid paintings”, usually depicting birds or insects, explore what I see as the ever-increasing digitization of the physical world: think of the way Googling the word “Amazon” requires a person to scroll through many results related to the e-commerce platform before one sees any mention of the river or the rain forest. I strive with these pieces to maximize the contrast between the rough, recycled ground of former packaging plywood with the glossy sheen and pixelated character of the subject in order to highlight the dissonance inherent in the commodification of living beings.  

My sculptures also depict natural forms such as skeletons and insects, and are constructed entirely from cardboard, paper, and repurposed objects such as plastic packaging and discarded wire.

The goal of my work is to redirect objects from landfill and transform them into objects that people want to keep and display. My intention is not only to reduce the amount of waste that reaches landfill, but also to attempt to alter how people view their own production of waste materials and the complex ways in which capitalist production requires and guarantees such waste.

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I am open to commissions of all shapes and sizes in any of the media I work in, including acrylic and graphite portraiture, sculpture, mixed media, collage, and murals.

To contact me about a commission, use my contact form here.