The Hong Kong-based Australian artist Katie Graham describes her practice as “the art of slow”, an approach initiated by the global pandemic. Her experience was one of reflection and reassessment, with the stark realities of a changing world and the fragility of civilisation as we know it leaving an indelible mark on the way she saw the world. In response, Graham overhauled her art-making techniques, looking for greater simplicity in her methods and to lower her consumption of materials. “As the world reaches its tipping point in this climate crisis,” she says, “the question is how can I make changes in my life, and in my art practice to simplify and consume less?”
A long process of adjustment has led her away from oil paints toward sustainable materials. Her canvases are now fabric, and her methods are dominated by salvaged and recycled objects. Graham leaves silk and linen on beaches, exposed to the elements, held down by repurposed metal objects, which stain her surfaces with deep reds and browns. “I explored the way time changes all materials”, she says, “and can play a collaborative role in the mark making process.” These materials are then painted with tea, and woven with fibres from upcycled linen scraps to create passages of texture and line. By using items that have already had a life and giving them new form in her work, Graham has not only decreased the environmental footprint of her practice, but revolutionised her entire methodology to embrace a new outlook on one’s personal responsibility to the planet.
Graham is presenting Imperfect Circles, an exhibition with Nockart Gallery, Hong Kong opening 4 May.