After a successful online showing in August, Transformation: Art in the Recycle is now officially opening to the public on December 11 at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Presented by the Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, it will shine a light on the ever-increasing amount of waste that is polluting the environment.
Bringing together the works of more than 30 innovative artists and sculptors, the exhibition features everything from jewellery and textiles to homewares and custom-made couture. It will showcase treasures once lost and now found, as well as intricate pieces crafted from recycled materials like glass, paper, metal and rubber.
Standout works include Jody Graham’s powerful renderings of birds, which were drawn using charred sticks from the 2020-2021 bushfires, and Dave Smith’s set of usable bowls, knife handles and chopping boards, all constructed from rescued skateboards. And don’t miss the 3D-printed works (made using filament from recycled materials) by associate professor Tim Schork and his students from the department of design, technology and architecture at UTS.
When viewing the pieces you’ll be able to learn more about the artists and their reuse and recycle initiatives, which may even inspire you to make a few changes in your own day-to-day routine.
A share of the proceeds from the exhibition will go towards supporting the featured artists and also funding the horticulture, conservation, scientific research and education programs within the Botanic Gardens.
Transformation: Art in the Recycle is open to the public from December 11-19, in the Palm House and Moore Room of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Entry is free, and for further information head to the website.