The Queen's Gallery Visit (Summer, 2013)

(Authors own photo, 2013. Unknown artist, Anne of Denmark, cropped version)

This summer I went to The Queen’s Gallery where a Tudor Fashion exhibition was going on. Whilst there I learnt some interesting thing about trends around in that time and what they said about the class of a person, for instant, certain colours could only be worn by royals, gold and red being two of them. These colours – no surprises here – were called royal colours. Also, only certain fabrics could be worn if you were royal. Fashion, similar to today, said a lot about the wealth and class of a person, for instant, gold loop stitching, where a thin thread of gold was stitched into the clothing leaving loops of gold that adorn the garment. The common appearance of ruffs in the Tudor times inspired the ankle ruff idea seen in my shoe design. 

Fashion and Textiles: Final Piece Colour Copied

 

These three images are colour copies of my final piece, which allow you to see the construction and design of the shoe in more detail. For example, you can see the small, simple bit of illustration I done on the bottom of the shoe and how and where I used newspaper or brown paper. I really like these images they because the copier has created a mysterious perspective. The material closest to us is squashed up against the surface of the glass, whereas that latter material is casted in ominous shadow: in oblivion.

Fashion and Textiles: My Final Piece

    

 

         

  
 

This is a fashion shoot I done in order to show off the design of the shoe I made, by manipulating paper. The initial idea of the flat platform was, of course, inspired by Creepers and the ankle ruff is just an extremely glorified buckle. There were a lot of heavy weight design concepts going onto this shoe, so the idea of the curls placed on top of the laces not only emphasised the presence of the laces, but also add a softer edge to the design. However, because everything was rather oversized I don't think that intention is apparent and the shoe generally just looks clumpy. Although, I have to say, personally I like that quality, being a fan of shoes like, DM's, Creepers and platform boots.

I was shocked to have received mostly positive feed back from my peers concerning the shoe. They found it to be very inventive, more of a construction or sculpture than a garment. In relation to the project, I suppose I achieved what I was asked of because I made a, debatably, outrageous, wearable garment. Although, not a very durable one. If I were to repeat this project, I would definitely have made the shoe a little more stable and durable. By the end of the day it was falling to pieces.  

Fashion and Textiles: Shoe Idea Generation 2

These three images show 2 of my developed ideas that inspired my 'Final Design Idea'. The process of drawing out my ideas allowed me to focus more on the details in the design, which in turn created a more lengthly process. However, it wasn't too challenging as most of the ideas I used in my sketches were recycling design aspects present in my previous post (Fashion and Textiles: Shoe Idea Generation). By annotating my final idea and taking measurements (first image), it made the next stage of the projected easier.

Fashion and Textiles: Shoe Idea Generation

This image is a colour copy of a series of ideas I have for shoe designs. I chose to work with the foot because I had already experimented solely on garments for the upper body in my pervious work with paper garments, therefore I wanted to create a new challenge for myself. I really like this method of idea generation as it is quick, allows for a un-staggered creative flow and you are able to see all of your ideas close together, which helps when comparing and deciding which ideas you feel work best. I was surprised to find how many ideas I was able to come up with using this method. Usually, I can only manage to think up around three ideas. If I were to do this exercise again I would perhaps spend less time dwelling on each design in order to pump out EVEN more ideas. However, it was good preparation for the next stage of the fashion and textiles project, where I had to make sketches of more shoe designs developed from these initial, brisk ideas.  

Tate Modern, Energy and Process: Review

(Emin, Hate and Power can be a Terrible Thing, 2005. Author's own photo, 2013) 

Tracey Emin’s piece, ‘Hate and Power can be a Terrible Thing’ (2004) illuminated the room, casting the other works in shadow at the Tate Modern’s Energy and Process exhibition. Situated in the room entitled ‘Homeworkers’, curated by Ann Coxon and Valentina Ravaglia, was a series of textile-based works all produced by female artists, playing on the outdated idea of female domestic work and gender stereotypes.

Originally, Margaret Harrison’s piece, ‘Homeworker’ (1977) was supposed to be the main attraction of the room, commenting on the exploitation of female labour in resent pasts. However, Emin’s piece completely overpowered the room, grabbing everyone’s attention. What first drew me in was the ironic juxtaposition of unnerving words such as, “THERES NO ONE IN THIS ROOM WHO HAS NOT THOUGHT OF KILLING” (Emin, 2005, Hate and Power can be a terrible thing), which were stitched onto a pink quilt, an object usually used to comfort it’s user. Emin’s angered lines stitched over floral patterns, which usually stimulate tender thoughts, further employed this contrast in mood.

As viewers we can pick up on this passionate fury through error in grammar, for example, “GUESS WHAT THE WORSE I COULD DO IS BETRAYE” (Emin, 2005, Hate and Power can be a terrible thing). Here there is a lack of punctuation and a spelling mistake, “BETRAYE”, which makes it hard for us to comprehend what Emin is trying to communicate. These two points could signify that in her blind rage Emin was completely consumed by her emotions and unaware or careless of any grammatical issues.  

The heavy use of text was present in both Emin and Harrison’s work, a compelling attribute that connects visually art with other art forms, something that I am very keen to work with in my own practise. Interestingly, Harrison opted for more handwritten text, perhaps to further install the idea of hard work, harmonising well with her repeated illustrations of hands – a “hands on” approach. Alternatively, Emin stitched each letter into the quilt. You can just imaging Emin sitting there with a needle, thread and murderous look in her eyes as she stabbed wound upon wound into the quilt in an attempt to exert all of her negative energy. ‘Hate and Power can be a Terrible Thing’ certainly sparkled up a multitude of thoughts within me, especially when compared to ‘Homeworker’ as a more recent, contemporary piece. The works are similar in medium and content, as both are trying to express negative feelings towards certain injustices, but with separate moods. Whilst Harrison uses hand-scripted text, browns and reds I feel a sense of militant, political purpose, perhaps relating to feminist posters, and Emin uses softer, gentler aesthetics, producing an uncomfortable, ambiguity due to all of her piece’s clashing attributes. Perhaps, it relates to the stories that inspired the piece, posing as something safe and inviting, but when the viewer acquaints themselves with it, it becomes something monstrous; ”A mother who Reiked [sic] of Power CRAZY Hate and Fear”(Emin, 2005, Hate and Power can be a terrible thing).

Bibliography

Exhibition Visit

Emin, Tracey. Hate and Power can be a Terrible Thing, 2005, Tate Modern, Energy and Process. 

Fashion and Textiles: Outfit Design

The first 4 images are modifications I made to magazine photos in order to create totally new looks for each model. I made each outfit based on the 5 samples I made previously. The last image is of everyones work hung on a board at the front of the room.

Fashion and Textiles: Paper Garment Exercise

The following paper garments my group and I made were based on specific words, using different peoples enlarged samples. The words were (in order of appearance): shoulder, sexy, gothic, romantic, hips and bird.

Fashion and Textiles: 5 Samples

I made 5 samples following the project title: Paper Manipulation, with the idea of structure in mind. The first sample was based on the city scape e.g. skyscrapers and bridges. The second on the strongest shape to build a structure for, which is of course the triangle. The third sample reminds me slightly of the Pinnacle, a building that is currently being constructed in London. The fourth one is my least favourite, as it is quite weak, made just by scrunching balls of paper together and attaching them to one another. The fifth one is the prettiest sample, here I curled the paper, using the blade of a pair of scissors.