Lost and Found, a quirky exhibition showcasing the clever use of marine plastics and other found objects, is sure to be a conversation starter when it hits the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery next month.
The creation of Mid-Coast based artist Christine Foletti, Lost and Found features upcycled plastic items that have been found washed up on beaches and turned into artwork depicting the very flora and fauna that these materials threaten.
“I live in a beautiful coastal environment that is threatened by development, marine pollution and other risk factors. I aim to show the beauty of where I live though a different lens using items that people would not consider beautiful, worthwhile or just rubbish,” said Ms Foletti.
Foletti’s interest in this art form was initiated while she lived and worked on Christmas Island and the remote Cocos Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean.
“The ocean currents caused large amounts of marine flotsam and jetsam to wash up on these remote islands which had a direct impact on marine life. Turtles were often unable to nest due to the sheer volume of marine debris. As I beachcombed I started to make small art pieces.”
In 2018, her piece depicting banksia in the Pacific Palms Art Exhibition won the Pacific Palms Art Prize.
Lost and Found begins on February 2 and finishes on March 8. Entry is free. To complement Foletti’s work, she will conduct a Recycled Whale Workshop between 10 am – 12 pm on Saturday February 3. The workshop is suitable for young people aged 5-12 years. To book go to: thecivic.com.au/art–exhibitions
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