Photo gallery below. Photos by Keer Moriarty
THE LATEST exhibition at The Centre, A Garden of Possibility: Repurpose, Renew, Reimagine provides visitors with an insight into the huge possibilities of recycling and repurposing materials of all kinds.
The colourful and engaging exhibition features hand-crafted pieces by Southside Upcycling Stitchers (SUS) group members along with items made by members of the local community, including students from St Bernard’s Primary School on Tamborine Mountain.
Artists Therese Flynn Clark and Jane Milburn held a series of artist-led workshops in the Scenic Rim last year which utilised discarded textiles and other materials destined for landfill to create items that might be found in a garden.
This has formed a sculptural installation created entirely by community – children and adults – as a component of the exhibition.
At the exhibition launch, Jane described the exhibition as world class and said recycled clothing is part of a grassroots cultural change.
When asked to indicate who in the audience was wearing recycled or upcycled clothing, many people raised their hands.
Both Jane and Therese were wearing creations that were created from different upcycled fabrics, Jane’s being the result of her Churchill fellowship
“There is an element of privilege attached to using waste,” she said.
“You have to have a stash of materials, storage and you have to have or gain the skills.”
“The idea that you can have a needle and thread and do something with it has lost a couple of generations.”
“It is coming back with a move to get men and boys involved as well.”
“I wonder if we can infiltrate the men’s shed?”
A Garden of Possibility is at The Centre, Beaudesert until April 27 and open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm; Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.
