Exhume

The strangely joyful, but violent, act of clawing for possession of a plush prize reveals a
human addiction to winning and consuming. Claw machines in malls, supermarkets,
and bowling alleys captivate children with plush animal-based toys. The rising popularity
of animal-based toys suggests a society-wide admiration of animals misplaced in
consumerism, and the toy industry produces in excess to capitalize on the demand. The
industry contributes to the degradation of the environment, disruption of ecosystems,
and shrinking biodiversity through extraction. Within children’s bountiful piles of colorful
plush and polyester is nostalgia for a wilderness now scarce. This installation draws
parallels between the coin-operated claw machine and an excavator, unearthing what
has been lost.