Art that re-makes: the transformative potential of materials

This episode of What Are You Looking At? is a series of conversations with artists Noah Johnson, Lila Meleisea and Justene Williams focussing on how the use of certain materials influence and inform their artistic practice. ⁠ Produced and hosted by Sharifah Emalia Al-Gadrie for Contemporary Art Tasmania. Noah Johnson⁠ is a black multidisciplinary artist, born in Lutruwita (Hobart). They first began painting as a way to visually represent their creative mind and their roots to their African American culture which paved the way for their love of fashion and consequently sewing & design. Noah runs a fashion label DERECYCLER, an upcycling slow fashion label which came to fruition when they were 16 years old. Their values lie in sustainability and story telling through their textile art while they use a mixture of simple to intricate design choices to convey that. ⁠Lila Meleisea⁠ has an interdisciplinary and social practice that places equal importance on both process and outcome. She is a conscious collaborator with others (human, plants, animals, cosmos) holding an understanding of balance and the importance of reciprocity. Using cultural research, community engagement, music, art and curiosity, she is a nurturer, teacher and advocate for holistic relationships between humans and the earth and environmental awareness. ⁠Justene Williams⁠ emerged in the 1990s as an exponent of Sydney’s grunge culture. Since 2016, she has led multidisciplinary teams to create spectacular, often large-scale, long-format live works. Now she returns to an earlier form of ‘poor art’, using a ‘make-do’ ethos and revisiting ideas of labour. Collapsing personal narratives, consumer culture and mythology whilst channelling the spirits of art history, she finds inspiration from figures such as her father and his auto recycling yard and Santa Claus, celebrating the avant-garde dream of the total artwork whilst deconstructing and communicating with a 21st century body. Justene attempts to transform the everyday via action, energy, and emotion.Field recordings and music used in this episode is provided courtesy of Lila Meleisea. In order of appearance: (1) FOREST: MANUMEA featuring Dr Ulf Beichle: Field recording of Manumea call and Lila Meleisea - Fagufagu (2) SIAPO MAKING SOUNDS: Scraping (3) Lota Nu’u (Music: Mata’utia Pene Solomona, Words: Rev. James E. Newell (LMS Missionary), Tune Name: Samoana (Initiated by Elder Dr. Elia Ta’ase @ Pouesi DMA Recital 1992). Performed by Suga

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Art that re-makes: the transformative potential of materials is an episode from What are you looking at? by What are you looking at?.

This episode is 01:27:59 long.

This episode was published on Mar 6, 2026.

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