Award-winning artist, Ruth Downes is holding an exhibition that repurposes found and upcycled materials – from razors to masks, piano keys to aircraft headsets – into wearable art, at CS Gallery.
Barely Wearable: body adornment for the age of overconsumption is a continuation of Downes’ passion for re-appropriating everyday materials and objects to celebrate their beauty.
Downes said that as long as she can remember, she has always been “obsessed” with wastage and recycling.
“I’m naturally frugal and always try to make a little go a long way. While my artwork does make a strong environmental statement, my starting point was really a fascination with these ‘low value’
materials that tend to be invisible in our affluent culture,” she said.
“These everyday materials have an intrinsic beauty that I cannot ignore so I hope others will learn to treasure them too. While this alone will not solve our many and varied environmental problems, a change in mindset is essential to tackle the bigger picture.
“I’m a great believer that capital ‘A’ art can be extremely intimidating for the casual observer.
I’m particularly pleased that ‘Barely Wearable’ often appeals to people who aren’t normally found in the rarefied world of an art gallery. If my work helps create a window into a broader
appreciation of art I will be delighted.”
Barely Wearable will be on display at CS Gallery from July 18 to October 29.
Melton mayor Lara Carli said Ruth brings a warmth and humour to a difficult subject – how our overconsumption and material lifestyles harm the planet.
“Art that elevates the connection we feel with the world around us and exposes those unconscious behaviours we all have that hurt the planet has been a focus for us over the last
couple of years,” she said.
