The art of recycling

An exhibition at Taupo Museum’s art gallery has taken recycling to new, artistic heights.

Eco Chic is sleek, stylish and sustainable: all exhibits are made from recycled materials such as rubber, resins, crockery, steel, wood and even blankets.

The exhibition features original work created by up-and-coming young artists as well as accomplished artists from all over the North Island.

Among the local artists are Eleazar Bramley and Julie McDonnell. Ms Bramley’s exhibits are ballpoint drawings on recycled plywood. “By using a surface usually found on an interior of a house, it plays on the notion of peeling away an interior physiological layer to reveal an inner expression,” she says.

Ms McDonnell is an installation artist with a degree in visual arts from Sydney University who moved to Taupo three years ago. Her Eco Chic exhibits include a collection of artistically modified suitcases which she says “reference the all important traveller to Taupo” and giant rosary beads made from plastic milk bottles.

Taupo Museum Manager Karen Williams says the artists have successfully elevated the discarded to the desirable. “Simple materials have become complex works of art such as the incredible origami made out of rubbish bag liners. It really is well worth a look,” says Ms Williams.

Eco Chic is on at Taupo Museum in Story Place, from 10.00am to 4.30pm daily, until 5 November.