Arts Brookfield – known for bringing art to public spaces – participated in the creation of a striking artwork made from used materials collected by Brookfield staff, with the final piece displayed in their head office.
Contemporary Australian sculptors, Jane Gillings and Lucy Barker, were commissioned to produce a large multimedia work using reclaimed objects from around the Sydney office setting, which they turned into a vibrant underwater landscape scene entitled ‘Underland’.
Just as organic material can be collected from kitchen scraps and transformed into rich compost to create a verdant garden, inorganic materials like plastics are a rich source of ‘nutrients’ for Barker and Gillings to create new worlds.
The use of everyday office items – which are typically discarded without thought or consideration as to where they go and how long they will exist – references the impact of our modern lifestyles on the environment.
Items including coffee cups, computer keyboards, milk bottles, telephones and stationery were diverted from landfill and taken to the artists’ studio. The two women then worked together to meticulously sort and examine the items for sculptural potential, eventually washing, cutting, shaping, melting, wiring, gluing and bolting them together to present them as something else entirely.
Lucy and Jane’s art practice references themes of waste and overconsumption, with the marine environment a particular passion for both artists.
‘Underland’ brings attention to the urgent need for individuals to acknowledge their impact on the planet and act accordingly, highlighting that everything is interconnected.
This sculptural installation project was presented by Arts Brookfield, and curated and produced by Wiltshire + Dimas/ aMBUSH Gallery.