Leftovers Exhibition: artists turning trash into truth
What happens when artists stop seeing waste as the end of the line and start viewing it as a raw material for something new?
Last weekend the Fishermans Bend Circular Design Collective hosted the launch of LEFTOVERS, an exhibition that speaks to this very question.
But LEFTOVERS is not simply an exhibition. It is a bold experiment in sustainable art-making, curated by Dodgy Paper and Lousy Ink, two of Melbourne’s most inventive creative forces and current Innovators in Residence at the Circular Design Collective.
Over several months, they have brought together eleven artists to explore the creative potential of Lousy Ink’s reclaimed artist inks and Dodgy Paper’s recycled paper, producing works that challenge how we think about value, waste and transformation.
The result is an exhibition that feels more like a working studio or open lab than a traditional gallery. Process is foregrounded. Materials are imperfect, unexpected and full of history. Every ink stroke and paper surface carries a past life, reimagined in new visual languages.
Everything included in the exhibition was created right here in Fishermans Bend at the Circular Design Collective - the paper, the inks, the artworks and even the cardboard frames used to display the works.
Meet the artists involved
Among the featured artists is David Ghostpatrol (David Booth), whose finely detailed illustrations conjure vivid inner worlds, and Chico Leong, who draws inspiration from urban poster decay to create layered, tactile works that reframe the street as canvas. Giovanna Da Silva’s large-scale murals reflect on nature and place, while Evie Cahir offers delicate, mood-driven drawings that bring stillness and space into focus.
Yan Yan Candy Ng’s joyful illustrations reflect her Hong Kong heritage and often transform maps and public spaces into narrative-rich artworks. Wanissa Somsuphangsri brings cultural depth to lettering and calligraphy, while Meng Lee’s risograph prints reflect the quiet beauty of everyday life and digital disconnection. Steve Leadbeater explores emotional texture through expressive mark-making and text, and Chehehe contributes vibrant character-driven work that plays with identity and joy.
Finally, Oli Ruskidd delivers a burst of psychedelic colour, with compositions inspired by natural systems, biology and botany. Together, this group reflects the breadth of Melbourne’s contemporary creative scene—multidisciplinary, culturally diverse and defiantly process-led.
Creative collaboration in action
More than a showcase, LEFTOVERS is a living collaboration. Artists have created on-site at the Circular Design Collective, sharing tools, materials and ideas in real time. This embedded residency blurs the boundaries between studio, gallery and community, embodying the spirit of circular design not just in concept but in practice.
What emerges is a collective rebellion against waste, and a celebration of what is possible when we reframe the discarded as a site of potential. LEFTOVERS is not just about making do with what is left. It is about starting again, with intention, curiosity and care.
The exhibition is now open by appointment only. Contact info@lousyink.com or dodgypaper@gmail.com if you would like to arrange a time.
Keep an eye on our website as we will also be adding details about the works on the project page.
