Sunshine Coast artist Kathleen Hunt uses found and discarded objects to create wearable art that addresses the environmental impact caused by consumer objects. Her practice embraces an ethos of sustainability, utilising safe and environmentally friendly studio techniques.
Hunt’s Mutation work interrogates the environmental impacts of the galvanising process involved in the industrial fabrication of coat hangers. This process utilizes Hexavalent chromium Cr(V1) an environmental pollutant linked with genetic mutation. Cr(V1) has recently been connected with mutation in the form of three-headed fish identified in a hatchery within the Noosa Biosphere. Hunt’s work reflects on these issues by employing coat hangers to represent a spine, with the rhythms of nature expressed via the use of the Fibonacci sequence. With 8 billion coat hangers manufactured annually, Hunt’s work encourages contemplation on the environmental consequences of consumer choices.