Isla Hodgkin & Ellena Poedjerko

Applecross Senior High School

Year 9

Wearable art – textiles and mixed media

180 x 70 x 60 cm

Our work is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and its abundance of life. The Reef is home to many species of plant and animal life such as the lionfish – known for its striking and vibrant appearance. This dramatic fish is represented in our wearable art piece constructed from a bicycle helmet covered in papier and fabric mâché, with wire wings attached through the holes. Orange fabric, sprayed with red and yellow, wraps the wire and contrasts with the cooler colours of the body piece, embodying the colour changing characteristics of this fish. The body piece is a tribute to the intricate and fragile complexity of the coral reef. To emulate the textures of coral and plant life found in the Great Barrier Reef, colourful fabric scraps were tied onto the frame. Thin wire was also used to create dramatic fins. The entire collaborative work envisions the life and landscape of the Reef.