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Queensland Textile artist, Karen Benjamin: Solo exhibition 2018

Karen Benjamin

Fantastic Plastic

 

Queensland artist, Karen Benjamin turns her environmental concerns into artwork that focuses our attention towards marine conservation. Fantastic Plastic (2014-18) is a textile exhibition exploring the use of single-use plastic bags and the effects it has on our environment. Karen transforms plastic into fashion suggesting there are alternative ways to reuse this material without dire consequences on the environment.

- Contemporary Art Awards

 

Single-use plastic bags are an everyday convenience but an ecological disaster. These bags clog our waterways harming sea creatures through entrapment and ingestion. Alarmingly, research suggests, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Consequently, my art practice is a silent protest and a reminder that we must rethink and find ways to recycle plastic. By highlighting this issue, the audience can reflect on how we use single-use plastic bags in our daily lives and consider alternative methods. 

 

- Karen Benjamin

Exhibition

Turtle Scale (2018) by artist Karen Benjamin

Turtle Scale

Recycled heat-fused plastic packaging and recycled cardboard on mannequin

35 x 80cm

2018 

$650

Fish out of Water (2017) by artist Karen Benjamin
Back view of 'Fish out of water' (2017) by Karen Benjamin

Back view

Fish out of water (front view)

Recycled heat fused plastic packaging, recycled cardboard on mannequin

35 x 80cm 

2017 

$650 

Backless Turtle (2018) by textile artist, Karen Benjamin

Backless Turtle

Recycled heat fused plastic packaging on mannequin

35 x 80cm 

2018 

$650

Patchwork of Ideas and Solutions (2015) by textile artist, Karen Benjamin

Patchwork of ideas and solutions

Recycled heat fused plastic packaging and recycled cardboard on mannequin

35 x 80cm 

2015 

$650

Turtle talk (2018) by textile artist, Karen Benjamin

Turtle Talk

Recycled heat fused plastic packaging, recycled wire on mannequin

35 x 80cm

2018

$650

caught dress (2014) by textile artist, Karen Benjamin
caught dress (2014) by textile artist, Karen Benjamin

Detail

Caught Dress

Recycled heat fused plastic bags on mannequin

35 x 80cm 

2014 

$650 

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