Brian Petro gives a new meaning to the old adage “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” A dedicated artist, Petro is always on the lookout for items he can incorporate in his next work of art. He searches through abandoned buildings, and even dumpsters, to find objects that have been discarded or forgotten.

Petro explained that people often don’t initially realize the potential that many seemingly obsolete objects have.

Brian Petro: Found Object Artistry

Brian Petro gives a new meaning to the old adage “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”

“I get a lot of flack sometimes because when friends borrow my jackets, especially in the winter time, and they put their hands in the pockets, and they pull out like broken car reflectors, and spark plugs, and shards of metal. And they’re like ‘what are these for?’ And I tell them ‘hold on, you’ll see,’” Petro said.

Through his art, he revives the objects’ inner essence and timelessness.

For example, he explained how he sees beyond a simple package of cigarettes:

“When I see it, I have so many things that come up. From the loss of my father, through health and governmental issues too,” Petro said.

Petro’s unique mixed-media art pieces use the forgotten items to illustrate the untold stories of the human experience and symbolize unrelenting hard work and ingenuity. They inspire remembrance and change the way his audience thinks about recollection.

“I take elements that I think are beautiful that have been cast into landfills that can be used, and revisited, and held onto for posterity,” Petro said.

Full Frame joined Petro on his search for treasure and learned how the artist’s unique work manifests the memories that can be found in the most unlikely of objects.

Follow Brian Petro on Twitter: @BrianPetroArt