Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Reimagining Trash Trucks as Public Art in Kinston, NC

In 2017, Vicki Scuri SiteWorks completed a comprehensive Public Art and Placemaking plan for the City of Kinston, NC. North Carolina Arts Council commissioned this plan as a part of their SmArt Initiative. This plan, called the Kinston SmART Vision Plan, is a tool to promote placemaking and to guide the development of the arts within the larger frame of economic development in Kinston.

The Kinston Trash Truck Art Project, completed in 2018, is one of the first projects inspired by this plan. The Artwork for the Kinston Trash Trucks uses the ideas of responsible waste management and recycling as frames for seeing and maintaining the beauty of the City. This is expressed with three Themes: The Neuse River, Civic Sculptures and Local Recreation. Each Truck carries its own Theme.

18.12.13_Spring Truck18.12.13_Fall Truck

Truck 1 features the Neuse River in both Spring and Autumn with a message about the City’s award-winning water.

18.12.13_Music Truck18.12.13_Flue Truck

Truck 2 features the Music Park and Thomas Sayre’s “Flue” sculpture with a message about the City’s recycling program.

18.12.13_Waterpark Truck18.12.13_Stadium Truck

Truck 3 features the Water Park and Grainger Stadium, home of the Down East Wood Ducks, with a message about the City’s LED streetlights.

Each truck is different, but cohesive with the group. The frames are built out of images of commonly recycled objects: paper, plastic and glass. These frames are conceptual picture frames, like the gold frames found around classical paintings.

Team Credits:

Vicki Scuri SiteWorks

Alexandr Polzin

Client:

The City of Kinston