Queensland artist Jacqueline Damon has found a creative way to make use of the metres of white silk and organza she used as ship sails in her 'Sorrow' sculpture for the 2020 Swell Sculpture Festival.
The artist has used the fabric to create three couture bridal outfits.
The move comes as the fashion and wider arts industries work to address the huge textile waste problem in Australia.
According to figures from the National Clothing Textile Waste roundtable, 800,000 tonnes of textile waste ends up in Australia’s landfills each year.
Jacqueline Damon is pictured at Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast with the dresses she crafted from the material.
Damon's repurpose of the material comes as the 2021 Swell Sculpture Festival is set to kick off again from September 10.
The outdoor sculpture exhibition sees more than 65 large scale contemporary sculptures transform a 1km stretch of beach into an outdoor art gallery.
Swell Sculpture Festival artist director and curator, Natasha Edwards, said the executive team have made changes in the planning.
"We are thrilled to be connecting people, art and place, presenting a COVID safe Swell Sculpture Festival for visitors to enjoy.
"It has been a roller coaster ride this year and the whole world has felt the stress of the pandemic.
"We’ve come to realise in times like these getting outdoors, creating - and enjoying - art is more important than ever," she said.
Such magnificent sails, majestic and celebrated.
Triumphantly endeavouring.
How they inspire us.
The replicas, the re-enactments.
Until we remember, these beautiful sails mask an ugly truth, so many of these grand sailing ships collected, transported, delivered and spread unimaginable sorrows to so many souls, too and from and on so many shores.
How do we remember them?
- Jacqueline Damon - Sorrow statement