Artist Profile - Kate Cousins

By Colin Serjent

(For her profile Kate spoke specifically about her work which was shown as part of the Rixhibition group show at Museum Man, Rodney Street during the summer)

The four hangings used in the show are called 'Boys Who Love Men and Girls that like Birds', which was inspired by the theme running through the concept of Museum MAN.
I was intrigued to see how a feminine-seeming work might contrast with the theme of MAN.
The materials I used are things not often used anymore - such as embroidered napkins - which sit in airing cupboards and finally end up in charity shops or jumble sales.
They fit neatly into the category of pop art, as I deliberately used icons like 'The Transformers', which are universally loved, particularly by eighties children.
The idea for the T-shirts I designed began during the last Liverpool Biennial while I worked as an invigilator in the Independent District. Two shirts given to me had the terms 'Me At Work Now' and 'The Liverpool Biennial' printed on them. I reworked the letters into 'Worn Meat Wok' -a comment on being close to the Chinatown district- and 'poor believe in nil', which was about how scousers seem to be very down about themselves and the whole Capital of Culture award.
The other T-shirts were made out of my old ones, collecting as many labels as I could. It turned out to be a very successful way of advertising my work as everyone I meet wants one.
I'm a collector by nature and love hunting through flea markets. I went to university in Preston which has a brilliant market twice a week. I gathered most of my materials for my degree show from there.
The 'Kwik Save Dress' as made from carrier bags from the supermarket, and is a comment on the wasteful nature of shopping. I made a film where I wore the dress while walking round a Kwik Save store.
But when I got home I put the new carrier bags in the cupboard, which spills out all over the place to show the fruitlessness of trying to re-use them. However I was chuffed to discover that Kwik Save now have biodegradable bags.

Email: cousinskate@yahoo.co.uk