Rachel Perry Welty's Trash Photo Project

Have you ever wondered what you can do with fruit stickers or old price tags? Most of us just throw this trash away without even thinking about it. But American artist Rachel Perry Welty turns everyday trash into real art. Her photo project “Lost in My Life” is a vivid example of how everyday things can tell a profound story about our lives, consumption, and even ourselves. Let’s figure out why this “trash” project has conquered the art world and continues to inspire.

Rachel Perry Welty is a conceptual artist from the USA who knows how to find beauty in small things. She lives in Massachusetts, and her works are often connected with personal experiences: motherhood, everyday life, routine. Welty doesn’t just take pictures – she creates entire worlds where ordinary objects become heroes. Her photo project “Lost in My Life”, which began in 2009, made her a star of galleries and museums. But what makes this project so special?

The title of the project translates as “Lost in My Life,” and this is no coincidence. Welty explores how everyday objects — from plastic bread ties to pizza boxes — absorb us. She collects these objects for months, sometimes years, and then builds complex compositions out of them. Welty literally “dissolves” in these installations: her figure merges with the background, and her face is often hidden. This creates the feeling that a person becomes part of her own trash.

The project makes us think: how much time do we spend shopping, cleaning, organizing our lives? And do we lose ourselves in this endless cycle of things? Welty answers these questions with art that is both beautiful and a little scary.

Each photograph in the series is a mini-performance. Welty works in a studio, where she carefully constructs scenes. She uses a large-format camera to achieve incredible detail. Her “costumes” and backgrounds are made from things we usually throw away:

After setting the scene, Welty enters the frame, improvising with poses. The final images are printed in large format so that the viewer can see every detail. For example, the work “Lost in My Life (Fruit Stickers)” from 2010 shows the artist almost invisible among a colorful background of stickers. It is both mesmerizing and makes you think about how much waste we produce.

“Lost in My Life” is not only about aesthetics. The project raises important topics: consumerism, ecology, female experience. Welty, as a woman and mother, often talks about how everyday life can “absorb” a person. Her works are a commentary on our obsession with things and how they shape our identity.

Critics compare Welty to Andy Warhol for her ability to turn the banal into art. But unlike Warhol, she adds a personal, almost intimate touch. Her photographs are funny, touching, and a little sad—the perfect balance to make the viewer think.

Since 2009, the Lost in My Life project has traveled to numerous galleries and museums. It was first shown at New York's Yancey Richardson Gallery in 2010. This was followed by a major solo exhibition, Rachel Perry Welty 24/7, at the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in 2011. Some works, such as Fruit Stickers, are held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Today, Welty's photographs continue to inspire. They appear in exhibitions, in articles, and even on social media, where viewers share their impressions. It's art that speaks to everyone, because we are all surrounded by similar "garbage."

In a world where environmental issues and conscious consumption are becoming increasingly important, Welty’s work sounds like a warning. She doesn’t lecture or teach how to live, but her photographs make you stop and look at your life from the outside. Maybe we really are getting lost in this sea of things? And is it possible to find beauty in what we are used to considering trash?

Welty's project is a reminder that art can be smart as well as beautiful. It makes us laugh, think, and perhaps pay a little more attention to the little things around us.

What everyday object would you turn into art if you were Rachel Perry Welty? Share your ideas in the comments!