The intricate work of Lucia Usmiani subtly challenges us to engage with the journeys behind her creations. She employs, almost exclusively, used materials discarded by others when utility is considered spent. Intercepting rubbish destined for the tip or recycling plant, Usmiani lovingly and obsessively transforms waste into the raw material of fine art; through her labour the lifecycle of industrially produced goods are extended and society’s refuse is manually transformed into precious and desirable objects of beauty.

Her studio is a one-woman production line in which aluminium cans, food tins, old synthetic funeral flowers, plastic bottles and more are meticulously collected, sorted, processed, broken-down, categorised and stored. Sometimes it is years before a collection of components can become a work of art. Therefore, repetition is not only a visual motif of Usmiani’s work but integral to the methodology of her making. This artist has loved the challenge of ‘making do’ with found materials since childhood and confesses deep enjoyment of repetitive tasks.

Usmiani’s aesthetic often evokes the kitsch and retro, she considers her chosen materials rich for bringing with them a past. Furthermore, she welcomes the likening of her practice to hobby craft, with its emphasis on the handmade, pattern, and a DIY approach to making something new out of something at hand. Her titles often have the familiar ring of catch phrases, pick-up lines or pop-song lyrics. Similar expressions are also to be found incorporated graphically into her works. Like her choice of second-hand materials, these turns of phrase are evocative while simultaneously banal; they are clichés on which we attach personal associations. Usmiani’s affective titles address us, and in the process bestow anthropomorphic qualities on these abstract works of art.

Ironic wordplay is just one of the techniques used here to agitate our complacency towards consumption and waste. Yet while Usmiani’s practice emerges from a conservationist ethic it is ultimately less about the environment than it is about ourselves. Her methods are intense and regimented, but the outcome of her toil is consistently visually stunning works vibrant with a playful, intelligent wit.

Lucia Usmiani obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Art from the University of Tasmania in 2006. Her practice employs a broad array of media and ranges from two-dimensional work to large outdoor installation. She has been exhibiting widely in Tasmania and nationally since 2000 and has shown at such major galleries as Heidi Museum of Modern Art (2006), the Tasmanian Art Gallery and Museum (2004) and Contemporary Art Services Tasmania (2002). In 2007 Usmiani was the recipient of the Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Nominated Artist category. Her first major solo exhibition was held at Despard Gallery, Hobart in 2007.


Bec Tudor ©