Nathaniel Hein and Jennifer Gonzales

The first in a three-part collaborative series dealing with consumerism, Greenhouse seeks to create a visual dialog about the hidden environmental costs of our consumer culture.  Made up of bags discarded by retailers and warning of suffocation, the viewer encounters the structure throughout its life cycle and may believe that life can be contained as the plants begin to sprout and grow. However, as the life cycle within the walls continues, it is evident that the limited space and natural resources will suffocate the plants within; ultimately leading viewers to question their role in the conflict between the environment and the distribution of consumable goods.

Originally from California, Gonzales and Hein currently reside in Memphis, TN.  This is their first formal collaboration.  Independently, they both focus on a variety of social concerns through a multidisciplinary approach stressing viewer interaction.  Gonzales, a teacher at the Memphis College of Art in Art Education, specializes in diversity topics.  Hein is currently a visiting assistant professor of art at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS, teaching sculpture and digital media.

Artist website:
Nathaniel Hein http://www.contemporaryform.com/

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