OPENING NIGHT 5.30 – 7.30PM FRIDAY 6 OCTOBER 2023
Sparks Might Fly is an exploration into natural and man-made materials. By juxtaposing both discarded manufactured items and organic matter creatively, Telfer tests the limits of his chosen materials and challenges us to confront our patterns of consumption and waste, inviting us to question the consequences of our choices.
The works prompts the viewer to reflect on the delicate balance between progress and sustainability, offering a visual dialogue that resonates with both the aesthetic and the ethical.
With a preference for foraging materials in abundance, Telfer often uses whatever is at hand, sourcing items that would otherwise go to landfill. His work makes us contemplate the lifespan of materials, biodegradability, and the traces we leave behind.
Man-made recycled materials often include disused electrical wiring and cables, plastic bags, discarded clothing, and salvaged random items, whilst natural materials may include Bangalow Palm inflorescence, Jacaranda leaf stalks, and branches.
Telfer employs the technical skills and elements of weaving in both random and more traditional styles with knotting, stitching and string making. His interest in the tactile through the application of traditional techniques using non-traditional materials, allows the materials guide his creations – one action leading to another, letting the work evolve.
Justin Telfer graduated from the Byron School of Art in 2020. He has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions, been selected as a finalist in art prizes, and was awarded first prize in the Whitsundays Art Prize in 2022. His work is held in private and public collections nationally.