For Artists In Focus during HOME Made GOOD at The Johnston Collection, The Bond Family created a striking sculpture of Marie-Antoinette composed entirely of rubbish, mostly discarded plastic bags and soft drink bottles.
The Bond Family’s previous work at TJC includes their most recent effort in FEAST (2017), and the RETURN TO THE CITY (2016) exhibition.
The Bond Family comprises Maureen Bond and her four daughters; Catherine Byatt, Marissa Byatt, Glenda Piddington, and Jenny Williams. Mother Maureen has instilled in her family a long-standing tradition of resourcefulness and improvisation. Through their collaborative art practices they continue to develop their skills working across mediums including glass, textiles, painted design, timber and porcelain.
…a political commentary on the enormous, tragic, and irreversible problem of plastic waste in our oceans.
The installation was originally inspired by a small 19th century porcelain bust of Marie Antoinette in the Collection, and the Bond families’ further research into her life led them to using Marie Antoinette as a way to deliver a political commentary on the enormous, tragic, and irreversible problem of plastic waste in our oceans.
Catherine Byatt says that The Johnston Collection intends for the work to highlight the blight of our beautiful planet and to show that, as with Marie-Antoinette’s life, the appearance of beauty and loveliness can hide a tragic reality.
HOME Made GOOD | Christmas at The Johnston Collection featuring The Bond Family installation and lots more is on now until Tuesday 5 February, 2019. Find tickets here.
The Garb Wire 