Art that re-makes: the transformative potential of materials

Art that re-makes: the transformative potential of materials

From What are you looking at? by What are you looking at?

March 6, 2026 · 1h 28m

About this episode

This episode explores how artists use materials to influence their artistic practices through conversations with Noah Johnson, Lila Meleisea, and Justene Williams.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Sharifah Emalia Al-Gadrie

Guests: Noah Johnson, Lila Meleisea, Justene Williams

Topics covered

  • art
  • materials
  • sustainability
  • fashion
  • community engagement

Keywords

  • transformative potential
  • artistic practice
  • upcycling
  • textile art

Mentioned in this episode

Products: DERECYCLER

Books & works: What Are You Looking At?

Places: Lutruwita, Hobart, Sydney

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