Therapeutic Cardboard Dumpster

Artist Statement:
This cardboard dumpster is a therapeutic art sculpture designed to represent the process of acknowledging and releasing negative thoughts and emotions. The dumpster serves as a symbolic container-a place where heavy or overwhelming feelings can be temporarily placed outside of
the mind instead of being ignored or held inside. By writing, drawing, or imagining negative thoughts and placing them into the dumpster, I am practicing externalization. This action helps me recognize that these thoughts are real and valid, but they do not define who I am. The physical act of "throwing away" the thoughts represents choice and agency: I can decide how much space these feelings take up in my life. The use of cardboard emphasizes impermanence and accessibility. Just as cardboard is lightweight and recyclable, negative thoughts can be examined, processed, and released rather than treated as permanent truths. The sculpture is not about denying emotions, but about creating a safe and controlled way to manage them. This piece reflects how art can be used as a tool for emotional awareness, self-care, and healing by turning abstract feelings into something visible, manageable, and separate from the self.