Consumed

Confederation Centre of the Arts invites the public to experience Consumed, a striking new exhibition by Prince Edward Island artist Jane Meredith Whitten, opening May 16 at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery.

Running through September 16, Consumed showcases Whitten’s distinctive approach to craft, transforming discarded materials—plastic packaging, beach debris, and other consumer waste—into intricate, thought-provoking objects. Drawing on traditional basketry and knitting techniques, her work reframes everyday refuse as something both beautiful and unsettling, inviting reflection on our shared reality of environmental degradation.

“It’s been inspiring visiting Jane Whitten’s home studio and learning about what drives her practice,” says Gallery Director, Pan Wendt, “She’s one of those artists who absolutely needs to make her work, almost in a therapeutic sense. She’s so productive and inventive, finding creative ways to break down what we usually think of as garbage, the byproducts of our consumer-driven world and reconstitute it as art.”

Originally from Australia and now based in Summerside, Whitten has spent decades developing a craft practice rooted in experimentation and material exploration. Influenced by leading Canadian and international basket makers, her work bridges functional and sculptural forms, what she describes as both “functional and dysfunctional pieces.” Alongside her artistic career, she has worked extensively in education, bringing a problem-solving mindset to her creative process: setting a goal, starting with available materials, and exploring the many paths between.

Her work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally, and is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Confederation Centre Art Gallery and the Canada Council Art Bank. She has also been recognized with multiple awards and was nominated for the 2001 Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence in Fine Craft.

Consumed continues the Gallery’s commitment to presenting contemporary work that engages with urgent social and environmental questions, while celebrating the depth and diversity of craft practice in Atlantic Canada.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to engage more directly with Whitten’s process during a rescheduled hands-on workshop, Choose Your Own Knitting Adventure, on May 23 at 12:30 pm in the Gallery, where participants can explore creative techniques alongside the artist.

For gallery hours and more information on the exhibition and workshop, visit confederationcentre.com/gallery.