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On View in Milwaukee

Hilary Christensen

It isn’t waste until it’s wasted.

February 19–May 10

MOWA on the Lake inside Saint John's On The Lake

About the Exhibition

This exhibition is open to the public at MOWA on the Lake, located inside the retirement campus of Saint John’s On The Lake in downtown Milwaukee. Learn more

 

Opening Party | February 19 | 5:00–7:00

Artist Talk | February 19 | 6:00

As Hilary Christensen’s son broke toys soon after opening them, she collected the detritus of his destruction, determined to contain the carnage. An assortment of random Legos, orphaned game pieces, buttons, and beads as well as bread tabs and broken hanger tags found in the Target parking lot soon filled a drawer to capacity.  

Unfortunately, these small bits of plastic are not recyclable, eventually ending up in the landfill. As the global environment becomes increasingly polluted, Christensen draws attention to the sheer volume of plastic flotsam and jetsam while doing her part to keep some of the plastic waste out of the wider world, creating new art objects that fulfill her adage: “it isn’t waste until it’s wasted.”

This exhibition is open to the public at MOWA on the Lake, located inside Saint John’s on the Lake in downtown Milwaukee.

Images:
Hilary Christensen, Marshes in June, 2025 (detail)
Hilary Christensen, Wasted, 2026

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