Artist Tracy Luff with judges Suzy Brandstater from Wollondilly Council and STA member Cath Brennan with the winning work, Bare Essentials. Photo: STA.
When it comes to the art of waste, Goulburn artist Tracy Luff has it in the bag, recyclable of course.
Tracy has just been announced winner of the Open category of the 2024 Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize with her work Bare Essentials.
Executive Director of Southern Tablelands Arts (STA), Rose Marin, described the work made from recycled cardboard and connected with fishing twine stitched together – as “exquisite”.
“She has elevated these once humble items into something extraordinary,” Ms Marin said.
Describing her work, artist Tracy Luff said it transformed recycled cardboard into a sculptural corset with a modest skirt, reflecting the urgent issue of textile waste.
“By repurposing discarded materials into art, this piece highlights the potential for creativity in confronting waste,” she said.
“Just as a corset reshapes the body, this artwork demonstrates how we can reshape waste into something valuable. It challenges our throwaway culture, inspiring a shift towards sustainability and innovative thinking in fashion.”
The Waste to Art Prize, which has been running for many years under different guises, is open to emerging and established artists from across the STA local government area – Goulburn-Mulwaree, Hilltops, Wollondilly, Yass Valley, Upper Lachlan and Queanbeyan Palerang. It follows from a series of workshops the STA stages across the region, encouraging artists to use their “waste” as a basis for their creativity.
“I love this prize,” Ms Marin said. “The calibre of the artists’ work is remarkable.”
The aim of the annual exhibition is to commit to the reduction of waste going to landfill by inviting artists to make art from waste materials.
“The exhibition is a gallery full of creative treasure made from trash complemented by a program of workshops and events,” Ms Marin said. “Our focus waste material for 2024 is textile waste and entries may incorporate waste textiles.
Artist and construction worker Adam Fraser with his prize-winning work, Flowers of Yesterday. Photo: STA.
She said textile waste was one of the worst offenders when it came to clogging up landfill.
“Over 50 kg of waste textiles, per person, every year goes into landfill,” she said, adding that Australia was one of the worst offenders, coming second only to the United States.
Other waste products used by this year’s artists included broken toys, rusty nuts and bolts, (clean) cat food containers and a collection of old thongs.
“One of my favourites is this beautiful flower and bee made out of old chunky metal and steel. The artist works in the construction industry and saw this stuff going in the bin so he created art with it.”
The 2024 winners: Tracy Luff, Doreen Lyon, Catherine Bell, Daphne Robinson, Adam Fraser, Ethan Abnett, Andie Stanton and Molly Daniels shared a prize pool of $2600 provided by Wollondilly Shire Council and STA.
For the first time, the Waste to Art works will go on an exhibition tour – to Yass. The works will be on show at the Yass Community Centre, Comur Street, from Thursday 11 July to Saturday 13 July.
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