Joe Bochynski, Lost and Found, 2024, porcelain tile, cast resin, concrete and found objects, PS 313 The Detective Wenjian Liu School of Civics and Entrepreneurship, Brooklyn

Lost and Found is a site-specific artwork created by Joe Bochynski for the lobby of the new Detective Wenjian Liu School of Civics and Entrepreneurship, Brooklyn. The 16-foot-wide installation is composed of an assortment of materials including ceramic tile, cast resin and found objects. It depicts an imaginary archaeological dig beneath the school building, featuring fantastical artifacts and fossils that might have been unearthed during its construction.  

The installation centers around two large medallions showing the above ground and below ground views of a magical tree.  The tree in the right sphere contains within its limbs and leaves, a bounty of fruits from around the world, a squirrel and an owl. In the left sphere, the tree’s root system holds buried treasures both man-made and natural, including a vintage cell phone, root vegetables, and fossils. Together the two spheres represent a unique vision of past, present and future. Relics from natural history, such as gemstones, minerals, botanicals, and footprints surround the spheres. A frieze runs along the top of the artwork displaying a whimsical array of relics and remnants of modern life including a 1930s radio, a 1970s Rubik’s Cube and a 1990s Apple iMac computer. Taken all together, the playful artwork conveys the excitement of learning from history and encourages a creative and critical view of our material world.