The TrashRats are a playful art project by artist Michael Strogies. Inspired by the rats of the famous street artist Banksy, Strogies began creating small rat-like figures out of packaging waste. In the spirit of street art, he does not exhibit his works in galleries, but places them unexpectedly in a number of different locations.
The TrashRats are not for sale at exhibitions or galleries. They can only be obtained by finding the figures that have been hidden somewhere. The hiding places of these pieces of art are published exclusively on a specific TikTok account (@trash_mate). The lucky finder of a TrashRat automatically becomes the owner of the object. Each sculpture is numbered and signed, making it a unique collector's item.
The new owner has the opportunity to be listed in the official TrashRats catalogue raisonné. This catalogue provides an up-to-date overview of the TrashRats' activities and also helps potential collectors to get in contact. In order to be registered, just send an email to the studio and the artist will confirm the ownership.
The stories of the TrashRats
We are happy to receive photos or videos from your mobile phone that show the current location of the TrashRats. We will use these as part of our social media activities to tell the TrashRats' stories. As the community continues to grow, the TrashRats will not only increase in value as pieces of art, but will also attract the interest of collectors.
Owners receive regular updates on the project's progress via a newsletter. The Trashmate project follows the mission of turning packaging waste into a valuable material in the truest sense of the word.
