parthenopi

cookie 2022

Upcycled plastics, glass bottles, metal structure

300 x 300 x 150 cm

$3,000

About the Work

parthenopi’s vibrant sculpture cookie is inspired by Queensland’s floral emblem, the Cooktown Orchid. As a florist, she is captivated by our unique Australian native orchids. Here she juxtaposes their beauty with the ugliness of plastic waste to make viewers question what they are doing to help protect this vulnerable species and its habitat and to ask themselves: “Is this my rubbish on the beach?”

About the Artist

parthenopi has branched out from her career as an events florist to take on the challenge of creating sculpture in a different medium. She has drawn from her knowledge of making large sculptural floral installations for special events and used that to work with discarded materials; bringing everyday household and industrial plastic waste to life.

parthenopi relishes in experimenting with bold colour, striking texture and dynamic form and injecting a sense of fun into her work to delight audiences while also inviting them to contemplate a deeper message. She is endlessly inspired by the tenacity and unique beauty of Australian flora and its plight against plastic pollution. Another key element of her practice is assembling her sculpture in situ and being inspired by her surroundings; altering the artwork to honour the landscape and create a conversation between the two.