Lilly Platts: Kerbside

Office Chair, Acrylic on canvas, 98x71, 2023

KERBSIDE

Lilly Platts

18 - 29 June 2024

This exhibition draws its inspiration from the ordinary, yet often overlooked, aspects of our urban environment, specifically the remnants of our lives left by the wayside during council pick-up and the lonely objects found on the side of the road. Platts is drawn to the juxtaposition between these commonplace household items and the backdrop of towering trees and urban landscapes. Stripped of their usual context and utility the objects are vulnerable, exposed to the unforgiving elements as they patiently await collection and disposal.

Over time, these items succumb to their natural surroundings, blurring the boundaries between the man-made and the natural world. As they face the elements, they fade and decay, blending into the landscape. This transformation stands in stark contrast to their intended function within the safety of a home, emphasising the vulnerability and the longing as they hope for someone to pluck them from the kerb.

Additionally, this work aims to highlight the profound implications of our throwaway culture. The sheer volume of discarded waste encroaching upon the environment serves as a daily reminder of the urgent environmental challenges that confront us today. Platts hopes to explore the interplay between human consumption and the natural world. By doing so, she reflects on the broader implications of our throwaway society, and contemplates the role in the ongoing dialogue about consumption and sustainability.