“Harvey’s work is notable for the parallel investigations she pursues into both the optical and metaphorical qualities of her subjects and her chosen media. Her open process of free association allows her to move from a study of the optical effects of water, to water as a metaphorical container of submerged consciousness, from an investigation into the attractions of kitsch back to the optical possibilities of colour-classified junk, and from the foamy optical character of a dense mass of polyethene packing, back to the existential reality of a mountain of plastic shit.”
– Gordon Hatt, Director, CAFKA, Kitchener, Ontario
To commemorate Earth Week 2009, Brookfield Properties Ltd. commissioned Harvey to create an installation for the Allen Lambert Galleria in downtown Toronto. The 21-foot tall, 15-foot diameter site-specific sculpture incorporated approximately 800 square feet of recycled plastic, a portion of which was collected from office tenants at Brookfield Place. The sculpture aimed to educate the occupants to recycle their plastic food packaging. The 47-storey office tower can make a large ecological impact by diverting significant amounts of plastic trash away from landfill areas.
In April 2012, Brookfield Properties transported Chandelier to the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden in New York City. Harvey installed the sculpture above the famed marble staircase for one month. The round shape of the installation echoed the circular platform and stairs above which it hung. The public was invited to drop off recycled packaging during the week the artist was on site preparing the piece and incorporating these objects into the finished artwork.
The artist’s fifth project with Brookfield Properties occurred in April 2013 at First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto where her Chandelier was re-mounted as a celebration of Earth Week. She collects disposable plastic such as water bottles, muffin tins, cake boxes, vacuum formed packaging, egg cartons, salad boxes, etc. and ties them together with monofilament into long strands. By emphasizing the reflective and transparent nature of this detritus, Harvey transforms it into opulent, glass-like assemblages signifying wealth and luxury.
