Dirty Denim an exhibition of reclaimed denim

Local textile artists Tamara Marwood and Verity Lougoon want you to get down to “Dirty Denim” this December at La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre at 121 View St, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The sustainable fashion and textiles exhibition features artworks made entirely from recycled denim jeans which locals have donated to the creative duo. Visitors can expect to see an array of items from patchworks, to bags even paper made from denim.

The process used to create denim jeans is a dirty one, requiring thousands of litres of water and cocktail of chemicals to make just one pair.  Verity says “The irony is that at the end of the manufacturing process many manufacturers will throw extra chemical treatments into the mix just to make the jeans look old, dirty or distressed”. The pair set out to investigate ways of repurposing one abundant discarded material and as it turns out Australians have a penchant for purchasing denim. In the year 2009 over 17,000,000 pairs of jeans were imported into Australia.

Tamara and Verity have taken up the challenge to create new practical art works that don’t impact the world but make sure heads still turn in stylish admiration. Dirty Denim will be on display at La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre Access Gallery from Friday 2^nd of December until 22nd of December. For further information contact the Latrobe Visual Arts Centre Gallery 121 View St Ph: (03) 5441 8724