Objects from contemporary culture are useful only momentarily, invented to serve a particular kind of society at a particular moment in time. Victoria DeBlassie describes herself as an “ethno-archaeologist” – recognising and excavating materials after they’ve become “useless” or have decreased in value, moving out of fashion or becoming otherwise outdated. DeBlassie recontextualises discarded objects and materials to create art that is suggestive of excess: the rise of material culture as it changes and develops over time. Using the innate history of refuse, she applies various processes to reformulate the identity and purpose of acquired matter.