Hinterland artists promote their passion for sustainable fashion
By Sonia Isaacs
HINTERLAND based artists Shaye Hardisty and Ketakii Jewson Brown, known as ShayeKet, are using their creative talents to activate awareness and change.
This dynamic yet socially conscious duo are using art activism to highlight the major global issue of fashion/textile waste.
Their latest project, ‘Confashional’, is an ambitious interactive installation that aims to spark conversations about fashion’s dark side, encouraging a shift in consumer awareness and behaviour.
Shaye and Ketakii have made sustainable fashion a cornerstone of their work, which consistently challenges the norms of the fast fashion industry.
Recipients of the 2024 Sunshine Coast Arts Foundation’s Gifted program, the duo have been collaborating since 2018 in the sustainable/slow fashion awareness space.
The issue they’re tackling is significant, on a global scale, 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills each year. Australians alone purchase an average of 27 kilograms of new textiles annually, contributing to nearly one million tonnes of textile waste each year.
For Shaye, a sewist, the project is personal, rooted in her long-time awareness of the waste generated by clothing production and the harmful impacts of both synthetic and natural fibres. “I was always obsessive about finding the most ethical or sustainable fabrics to use,” Shaye explained.
“We basically want to make works that stir up conversation around fashion waste. “Audience will come face to face with the waste that we’re collectively creating and can reflect on their own impact.”
ShayeKet’s past projects have addressed these concerns directly. In 2023, they launched The Sunshine Coat, a collection of 17 coats made primarily from recycled textiles and waste materials.
The project culminated in an exhibition where a display of textile scraps – remnants from the creation process – visually highlighted the volume of waste produced even in small-scale sustainable fashion production. ‘Confashional’ takes this mission further.
The installation projected for delivery in the first half of 2025 will feature a confession booth surrounded by piles of fashion waste, prompting visitors to confront the excess of their own wardrobes.
Participants will be invited to confess their “fashion sins” – whether it’s overconsumption, poor garment choices, or neglecting sustainable options. In exchange, they’ll receive new “fashion rules” to help guide more ethical decisions.
This playful yet thought-provoking approach aims to make the severity of fashion waste tangible, encouraging audiences to reflect on the consequences of their purchasing habits By directly engaging the community in their projects, ShayeKet hopes to inspire shifts in behaviour, from reducing reliance on fast fashion to mending and valuing what’s already in the wardrobe, aiming for a ripple effect of increased awareness and conversation.
