Artist John Salvest believes the world’s beauty, courage, sadness and absurdity are reflected in ordinary things. Which is why he’s spent his career turning junk into thought-provoking sculptures and installations. (Above: Forever, 2013, Secondhand Romance Novels, 74 x 210 x 4.5″ / Left: Detail of Forever)

The works of Salvest and fellow Arkansas artist Les Christensen are on exhibit in Out of the Ordinary at the Alexandria Museum of Art through May 21, focused on reuse of day-to-day objects.

Wood, glass, plastic magnifiers, chewed gum, 9 x 12 x 12 inches

Lead & copper-tipped bullets, 1 x 28.5 x 18″

Art-related business cards, wood, 70 x 122 x 2″

Reminder (SMTWTFS), Wooden Medicine Cabinets, Pills, 19 x 218 x 14″

Reminder (Detail, Pills)

Salvest – Installation view, Disappearing Ink, 2014, University of Memphis

John Salvest website, here.

Represented by Morgan Lehman Gallery, here.