Friday, 30 March 2012
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Frameworks Task Two (Individual Case Study)
Michael Beutler
For this week’s case study I have decided to look at the work of Michael Beutler in more detail. I will be looking at his work in the exhibition 80° Yoga at the Christian Nagel gallery, Cologne, April 22 – May 29, 2010.
“Michael Beutler's expansive sculptures are usually created directly on site in relation to the given architectonic arrangements. In an experimental process that concentrates more on the logical sequence of mutually conditional decisions than on preconceived planning, Beutler develops structures and forms from conventional building materials - such as wood, plaster or glass - that question standardization”.
(http://www.secession.at/art/2002_beutler_e.html, no date, Accessed 19/3/2012)
So actually he uses his instinct and makes it up as he goes along. I like to do the same thing – grab something, throw it together, see what works and what doesn’t. Similar to how the shanty town buildings at put together, there is no plan or blueprint only what happens as they build.
“created on-site in relation to given architectural arrangements. In an idiosyncratic experimental process”
(http://www.friezefoundation.org/commissions/detail/michael_beutler/,Frieze Projects 2005, Accessed 16/3/2012)
“At Frieze Art Fair 2005 Beutler presented Next To Center (2005), a site-specific sculptural installation that responded to the ordered formality of the fair’s internal grid. Beutler constructed a social space that made use of lo-fi resources found in and around the fair environs.
Title: 80° Yoga, Christian Nagel, Cologne, 2010
First he builds a wooden frame work on which he layers different coloured fabric. The fabric looks stretched tight over the frame but raw at the edges – unfinished. While the fabric is brightly coloured it has a weathered washed out and faded feel. This is not covered with one large piece of cloth but lots of different sized pieces – a collage or patchwork of scraps of fabric found.
When I look at the piece if gives me a feeling of shelter – it might protect me from weather like rain – but from something like a hurricane it is too unstable.
I really think it has a shanty-town look to it. It reminds me of some of the shelters I saw on my visit to Sierra Leone. This is one my photographs. Here we can see how the simple framework and the layering of found materials is the same. However the colour palette is different as are some of the materials – but I like the techniques of layering and different sized material pieces in both Beutler’s piece and this shanty home.
Beutler’s piece communicates a place of shelter and living and even comfort by using similar building processes to shanty town building.
“Beutler explored alternative ways of inhabiting this very particular landscape, resulting in a playful interrogation of form and function, private and public space.”
“...temporary, playful structures and forms constitute “a serious continuation of 20th century sculpture and architecture traditions”
(http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?bookId=58&l=en&pageId=1158 Michael Beutler Pecafil, Sternberg Press, 20/03/12)
But they are also opposites - Beutler’s piece communicates bright colour, playfulness and happiness where as my image is dull, dangerous and sad. Layering is key – this is a really important process for me and will be a big part of my project where I will be experimenting with fabric sampling in the next part of the design process.
80 degrees yoga will inform my FMP most but I will take most inspiration from my primary images because they will give me more ideas for silhouettes and textures. Beutler’s patchwork construction links with the shanty town images I have taken and I will use this mainly as a colour reference. It will also inform possibly the joining technique – raw edges and the flimsy, unstable nature of his work. Harold Kensington’s miss-match of things you wouldn’t normally put together which seem to be opposites will also inform my final piece. I want it to be a completely idiosyncratic approach. My piece will look it has been thrown together without much thought from whatever was found lying around. I want different vibrant colours unlike much of the shanty town construction but like it in that every piece of material used is a different texture, size or tone.
Bibliography
(http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?bookId=58&l=en&pageId=1158 Michael Beutler Pecafil, Sternberg Press, 20/03/12)
(http://www.friezefoundation.org/commissions/detail/michael_beutler/, Frieze Projects 2005, Accessed 16/3/2012)
(http://www.secession.at/art/2002_beutler_e.html, no date, Accessed 19/3/2012)
For this week’s case study I have decided to look at the work of Michael Beutler in more detail. I will be looking at his work in the exhibition 80° Yoga at the Christian Nagel gallery, Cologne, April 22 – May 29, 2010.
“Michael Beutler's expansive sculptures are usually created directly on site in relation to the given architectonic arrangements. In an experimental process that concentrates more on the logical sequence of mutually conditional decisions than on preconceived planning, Beutler develops structures and forms from conventional building materials - such as wood, plaster or glass - that question standardization”.
(http://www.secession.at/art/2002_beutler_e.html, no date, Accessed 19/3/2012)
So actually he uses his instinct and makes it up as he goes along. I like to do the same thing – grab something, throw it together, see what works and what doesn’t. Similar to how the shanty town buildings at put together, there is no plan or blueprint only what happens as they build.
“created on-site in relation to given architectural arrangements. In an idiosyncratic experimental process”
(http://www.friezefoundation.org/commissions/detail/michael_beutler/,Frieze Projects 2005, Accessed 16/3/2012)
“At Frieze Art Fair 2005 Beutler presented Next To Center (2005), a site-specific sculptural installation that responded to the ordered formality of the fair’s internal grid. Beutler constructed a social space that made use of lo-fi resources found in and around the fair environs.
First he builds a wooden frame work on which he layers different coloured fabric. The fabric looks stretched tight over the frame but raw at the edges – unfinished. While the fabric is brightly coloured it has a weathered washed out and faded feel. This is not covered with one large piece of cloth but lots of different sized pieces – a collage or patchwork of scraps of fabric found.
When I look at the piece if gives me a feeling of shelter – it might protect me from weather like rain – but from something like a hurricane it is too unstable.
I really think it has a shanty-town look to it. It reminds me of some of the shelters I saw on my visit to Sierra Leone. This is one my photographs. Here we can see how the simple framework and the layering of found materials is the same. However the colour palette is different as are some of the materials – but I like the techniques of layering and different sized material pieces in both Beutler’s piece and this shanty home.
Beutler’s piece communicates a place of shelter and living and even comfort by using similar building processes to shanty town building.
“Beutler explored alternative ways of inhabiting this very particular landscape, resulting in a playful interrogation of form and function, private and public space.”
“...temporary, playful structures and forms constitute “a serious continuation of 20th century sculpture and architecture traditions”
(http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?bookId=58&l=en&pageId=1158 Michael Beutler Pecafil, Sternberg Press, 20/03/12)
But they are also opposites - Beutler’s piece communicates bright colour, playfulness and happiness where as my image is dull, dangerous and sad. Layering is key – this is a really important process for me and will be a big part of my project where I will be experimenting with fabric sampling in the next part of the design process.
80 degrees yoga will inform my FMP most but I will take most inspiration from my primary images because they will give me more ideas for silhouettes and textures. Beutler’s patchwork construction links with the shanty town images I have taken and I will use this mainly as a colour reference. It will also inform possibly the joining technique – raw edges and the flimsy, unstable nature of his work. Harold Kensington’s miss-match of things you wouldn’t normally put together which seem to be opposites will also inform my final piece. I want it to be a completely idiosyncratic approach. My piece will look it has been thrown together without much thought from whatever was found lying around. I want different vibrant colours unlike much of the shanty town construction but like it in that every piece of material used is a different texture, size or tone.
Bibliography
(http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?bookId=58&l=en&pageId=1158 Michael Beutler Pecafil, Sternberg Press, 20/03/12)
(http://www.friezefoundation.org/commissions/detail/michael_beutler/, Frieze Projects 2005, Accessed 16/3/2012)
(http://www.secession.at/art/2002_beutler_e.html, no date, Accessed 19/3/2012)
Proposal Presentaion Notes
Slide 1 - Introduction
Slide 2 - My FMP is based around my visit to Sierra Leone, Africa. This Christmas I went for 2 weeks to volunteer which was based around helping the poor there. I have decided to base my project on what life is like out there and bring it into a fashion context. Sierra Leone is a ‘people environment’ and the housing conditions there are really bad. The ways of living are poor and dangerous.
The Good points to Sierra Leone are the natural environment; its beautiful scenery to look at, the Coastlines, the beaches at sunrise and sunset are extraordinary. The Palm trees are just stunning to look at, I like their textures, scale and silhouettes. The weather conditions there mean that it is always warm. The Religion there in Sierra Leone is mixed. People are really friendly, always interested in what you are doing and very welcoming, generous with their time.
The Bad points about Sierra Leone are: the traffic is manic, always busy, not just at times people are going out to work. The people living in mud floor huts, with whole families living in one room. The children are sick, ill and dying of malaria, I found it emotionally upsetting. The Evenings are dangerous, muggings and robberies can take place, mostly in Freetown - Waterloo. The young people are affected by the civil war, which finished in 2002.
I visited an orphanage, a drug rehab centre, polio centre, hospitals and schools. The main form of transport was the Poda Poda, which is a mini van that would normally carry 6 people, but I have seen at times 20 to 30 people crammed into the seats and on top of the roof.
Slide 3 - Image 1 - Here is an image of a shanty town – Textured, layers of rusty metal – dirty, solid earth pathways – UN hygienic water in the river – busy – chaotic – no space – cramped
Slide 4 -Image 2 the beach – The opposite – calm and peaceful – a tranquil sea - sand is clean – lots of open space.
Slide 5-Image 3 The Market - The produce is fresh – it is busy but organised – I like the colours, this is where my colour palette is from.
Slide 6 - Vivienne Westwood has been involved in an ethical fashion program. The program was to support over 7,000 women to improve their lives. The program helped some of the poorest people in the world and helped them get jobs. It helped children attend school. It pays for medical expenses. It ensures other basic need. All the people involved in Vivienne Westwood’s Ethical Fashion Africa collection have learnt new skills. The aim is that many will start their own companies and train the next generation of skilled workers, raising the standard of living in one of the world’s most fragile economies. She used some of them as models for her fall campaign.
Slide 7 - Her is the work of Michael Beutler the theme was called 80° Yoga. He is related to my FMP in that I am looking at shanty towns and the African environment. He creates architecturally inspired pieces which are linked to shelter like the shanty towns. The pieces he uses are colorful and remind me of patchwork which reflect my photographs. The layering he uses is also shown in my primary research.
First he builds a wooden frame work on which he layers different coloured fabric. The fabric looks stretched tight over the frame but raw at the edges – unfinished. While the fabric is brightly coloured it has a weathered washed out and faded feel. This is not covered with one large piece of cloth but lots of different sized pieces – a collage or patchwork of scraps of fabric found. When I look at the piece if gives me a feeling of shelter – it might be protect from weather like rain – but from something like a hurricane it is too unstable. I think it has a shanty-town look to it.
Slide 8 - This is artist called Do-Ho-Shu. His works are his pieces about transporting spaces. In He had homes and architectural spaces sewed out of transparent material that was able to transport easily from place to place.
He likes exploring the universal value of his own personal space. I have used Do Ho Shu as he has been inspired by architecture and I like how he uses fabric to become shelters. This is a similar style that I will uses using into fashion bringing them both together.
Slide 9 - Hussein Chalayan is a designer that looks at architecture and incorporates it into fashion. Again he is looking at 2D/3D and the use of layering links with other research I have shown here.
Quote - “Hussein Chalayan’s clothes are minimal in look but maximal in thought; his fascination with architecture, spatial dynamics, urban identity and aerodynamics are expresses in garments based on concepts, architectural systems and theories of the body.”
Slide 10 - This is a collection by Harold Kensington- Autumn 2011 collection. What I like about this collection that designs are tailored and meant to be loosely fitted, he is inspired by the depression of the 1940s (baggy, outsized, second hand clothing) mixed with African stripes and layers.
I like this mix of loose and fitted – I like the way the silhouette comes off the shoulders and out until it comes back at the ankles.I like the layering, the different textures created by the boiled wool, cotton and leather. The colours are bright and vibrant the remind me of the colours I found in the market.
I will be developing some design ideas in a similar way.
Quote “My style is informed by oversized fit translated into refined wearable womenswear; delivering a quality assured/luxury collection amidst the exploration of new surfaces, fit and creativity.”
Slide 11 - I would like to design a garment based around my experiences and then go onto manufacture the final designs and also do some prints. I know that I want it to be women’s wear and that it will be for broad, midrange audience. At the moment I am making drawings from my primary research, photographs of Freetown – Waterloo. I am looking at the qualities of line, texture and colours. The processes I would like to explore are layering, erosion, using found objects and fabrics, recycling and up cycling. Some of the materials I have seen used to make buildings, shelters, clothing and baggage are plastics, tarpaulins, canvas, cotton / calico, synthetics and nylon rope. I like the physical qualities of these materials and maybe use them as research and development.
Slide 12 - At this moment in time I haven't decided on what to do for my final garment and how I will present it. I have a couple of ideas on what to do. One of my ideas is to have a on piece garment with lots of layering, patchwork and print, dyeing and embroidery which will resemble my images and research. The other is having screen prints or digital print of my own photography will be experimenting with lots of different textile techniques and processes.
I have a couple of ideas for my exhibition space, one of them is to have prints of my own as hangings from the wall or the dealing. Also my one price garment to go with it. If I decide not to do a garment I may just have different prints and wall hanging.
Slide 2 - My FMP is based around my visit to Sierra Leone, Africa. This Christmas I went for 2 weeks to volunteer which was based around helping the poor there. I have decided to base my project on what life is like out there and bring it into a fashion context. Sierra Leone is a ‘people environment’ and the housing conditions there are really bad. The ways of living are poor and dangerous.
The Good points to Sierra Leone are the natural environment; its beautiful scenery to look at, the Coastlines, the beaches at sunrise and sunset are extraordinary. The Palm trees are just stunning to look at, I like their textures, scale and silhouettes. The weather conditions there mean that it is always warm. The Religion there in Sierra Leone is mixed. People are really friendly, always interested in what you are doing and very welcoming, generous with their time.
The Bad points about Sierra Leone are: the traffic is manic, always busy, not just at times people are going out to work. The people living in mud floor huts, with whole families living in one room. The children are sick, ill and dying of malaria, I found it emotionally upsetting. The Evenings are dangerous, muggings and robberies can take place, mostly in Freetown - Waterloo. The young people are affected by the civil war, which finished in 2002.
I visited an orphanage, a drug rehab centre, polio centre, hospitals and schools. The main form of transport was the Poda Poda, which is a mini van that would normally carry 6 people, but I have seen at times 20 to 30 people crammed into the seats and on top of the roof.
Slide 3 - Image 1 - Here is an image of a shanty town – Textured, layers of rusty metal – dirty, solid earth pathways – UN hygienic water in the river – busy – chaotic – no space – cramped
Slide 4 -Image 2 the beach – The opposite – calm and peaceful – a tranquil sea - sand is clean – lots of open space.
Slide 5-Image 3 The Market - The produce is fresh – it is busy but organised – I like the colours, this is where my colour palette is from.
Slide 6 - Vivienne Westwood has been involved in an ethical fashion program. The program was to support over 7,000 women to improve their lives. The program helped some of the poorest people in the world and helped them get jobs. It helped children attend school. It pays for medical expenses. It ensures other basic need. All the people involved in Vivienne Westwood’s Ethical Fashion Africa collection have learnt new skills. The aim is that many will start their own companies and train the next generation of skilled workers, raising the standard of living in one of the world’s most fragile economies. She used some of them as models for her fall campaign.
Slide 7 - Her is the work of Michael Beutler the theme was called 80° Yoga. He is related to my FMP in that I am looking at shanty towns and the African environment. He creates architecturally inspired pieces which are linked to shelter like the shanty towns. The pieces he uses are colorful and remind me of patchwork which reflect my photographs. The layering he uses is also shown in my primary research.
First he builds a wooden frame work on which he layers different coloured fabric. The fabric looks stretched tight over the frame but raw at the edges – unfinished. While the fabric is brightly coloured it has a weathered washed out and faded feel. This is not covered with one large piece of cloth but lots of different sized pieces – a collage or patchwork of scraps of fabric found. When I look at the piece if gives me a feeling of shelter – it might be protect from weather like rain – but from something like a hurricane it is too unstable. I think it has a shanty-town look to it.
Slide 8 - This is artist called Do-Ho-Shu. His works are his pieces about transporting spaces. In He had homes and architectural spaces sewed out of transparent material that was able to transport easily from place to place.
He likes exploring the universal value of his own personal space. I have used Do Ho Shu as he has been inspired by architecture and I like how he uses fabric to become shelters. This is a similar style that I will uses using into fashion bringing them both together.
Slide 9 - Hussein Chalayan is a designer that looks at architecture and incorporates it into fashion. Again he is looking at 2D/3D and the use of layering links with other research I have shown here.
Quote - “Hussein Chalayan’s clothes are minimal in look but maximal in thought; his fascination with architecture, spatial dynamics, urban identity and aerodynamics are expresses in garments based on concepts, architectural systems and theories of the body.”
Slide 10 - This is a collection by Harold Kensington- Autumn 2011 collection. What I like about this collection that designs are tailored and meant to be loosely fitted, he is inspired by the depression of the 1940s (baggy, outsized, second hand clothing) mixed with African stripes and layers.
I like this mix of loose and fitted – I like the way the silhouette comes off the shoulders and out until it comes back at the ankles.I like the layering, the different textures created by the boiled wool, cotton and leather. The colours are bright and vibrant the remind me of the colours I found in the market.
I will be developing some design ideas in a similar way.
Quote “My style is informed by oversized fit translated into refined wearable womenswear; delivering a quality assured/luxury collection amidst the exploration of new surfaces, fit and creativity.”
Slide 11 - I would like to design a garment based around my experiences and then go onto manufacture the final designs and also do some prints. I know that I want it to be women’s wear and that it will be for broad, midrange audience. At the moment I am making drawings from my primary research, photographs of Freetown – Waterloo. I am looking at the qualities of line, texture and colours. The processes I would like to explore are layering, erosion, using found objects and fabrics, recycling and up cycling. Some of the materials I have seen used to make buildings, shelters, clothing and baggage are plastics, tarpaulins, canvas, cotton / calico, synthetics and nylon rope. I like the physical qualities of these materials and maybe use them as research and development.
Slide 12 - At this moment in time I haven't decided on what to do for my final garment and how I will present it. I have a couple of ideas on what to do. One of my ideas is to have a on piece garment with lots of layering, patchwork and print, dyeing and embroidery which will resemble my images and research. The other is having screen prints or digital print of my own photography will be experimenting with lots of different textile techniques and processes.
I have a couple of ideas for my exhibition space, one of them is to have prints of my own as hangings from the wall or the dealing. Also my one price garment to go with it. If I decide not to do a garment I may just have different prints and wall hanging.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Building a Context of Research
For my FMP I will be looking at the work of Michael Beutler who is concerned with space.
“The artist analyses forms, functions and materials that make up the show space to then create architectural details, which transform the viewer into player in a process of reconversion.”
(http://www.technogelworld.com/michael-beutler)
He is related to my FMP in that I am looking at shanty towns and the African environment. He creates architecturally inspired pieces which are linked to shelter like the shanty towns. The pieces he uses are colorful and remind me of patchwork which reflect my photographs. The layering he uses is also echoed in my primary research.
Vivienne Westwood has been involved in an ethical fashion program. The program was to support over 7,000 women to improve their lives. The program helped some of the poorest people in the world and helped them get jobs. It helped children attend school. It pays for medical expenses. It ensures other basic need. All the people involved in Vivienne Westwood’s Ethical Fashion Africa collection have learnt new skills. The aim is that many will start their own companies and train the next generation of skilled workers, raising the standard of living in one of the world’s most fragile economies. She used some of them as models for her fall campaign.
(http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/multimedia/made-with-love-in-nairobi)
Vivienne Westwood has used or seen the beauty of these poor areas of Africa – taking colour or pattern to inspire her collection.
“The artist Do-Ho-Shu draws upon tailoring techniques to create large-scale architectural structures. His work explores sculptural characteristics of rooms and entire houses, using fashion techniques to expand his idea of ‘clothing as space’. (Bradley Quinn: The Fashion of Architecture)
His work is like mine will be. He is inspired by architecture and I like how he uses fabric to become shelters and like architecture.
Do-Ho Shu
“Hussein Chalayan’s clothes are minimal in look but maximal in thought; his fascination with architecture, spatial dynamics, urban identity and aerodynamics are expresses in garments based on concepts, architectural systems and theories of the body.”
(Bradley Quinn: The Fashion of Architecture)
Hussein Chalayan, S 2006
Another designer that looks at architecture and incorporates it into fashion is Chalayan. Again he is looking at 2D/3D and the use of layering links with other research I have shown here.
Pieter Hugo was born 1976 and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a South African photographer who primarily works in portraiture and whose work engages with both documentary and art traditions with a focus on African communities. For the past year Hugo has been photographing the people and landscape of an expansive dump of obsolete technology in Ghana. The area, on the outskirts of a slum known as Agbogbloshie, is referred to by local inhabitants as Sodom and Gomorrah.
His photography is quite strong and unusual. I love the textures and it could become a garment. His photography is similar to mine in the waste and has a textured feel from the dusty landscape and the different forms.
"Huang Qingjun and Ma Hongjie decided to collaborate on this project, ‘Family Stuff’ in 2005. They have visited a number of areas in China for this project looking for typical Chinese homes to photograph by bringing the domestic objects used in everyday life outside. ‘Huang and Ma work as independent partners, Huang covering the North, Ma the South of the country. Convincing families to expose themselves to their cameras is the major challenge that both face on their respective expeditions. Building trust and laying the groundwork for the shoot can take months, again and again Huang and Ma have to explain why they want the families to empty their houses and let the artists decoratively arrange their belongings outside. Once they have agreed to participate, most families are happy to display their possessions, even more so since they receive financial compensation. In some cases, not all belongings are permitted to be shown, in others not all furniture fits through the doorways; but generally, the artists confirm, their portraits depict average Chinese reality as it is today: simple, unpretentious and compared to 20 years ago, strikingly void of political paraphernalia. In 2011 this project is scheduled to end with a total of 50 pictures and a book’. You can read more about this project on a mesa de luz."
(http://www.pampig.org/dev/wordpress/tag/china/page/2/)
This is a collection by Harold Kensington- Autumn 2011 collection. What I like about this collection that designs are tailored and meant to be loosely fitted, he is inspired by the depression of the 1940s (baggy, outsized, second hand clothing) mixed with African stripes and layers. I like this mix of loose and fitted – I like the way the silhouette comes off the shoulders and out until it comes back at the ankles. I like the layering, the different textures created by the boiled wool, cotton and leather. The colours are bright and vibrant the remind me of the colours I found in the market. I will be developing some design ideas in a similar way.
Michael Beutler links with my primary source which is the shanty town as his works I’ve selected remind me of shanty towns. The idea of shelter and protection is obvious but the patchwork he uses is like the way shanty town dwellings are made. Shanty towns are put together from anything in the surroundings which is how he builds his work. The colors in his work link with my market scene photograph. The different textures in Beutler’s work are like the different textures found in some of my photographs. His works look unstable and loose like shanty town dwellings. Beutler’s work has raw edges and isn’t neat. It looks as if it has been assembled last minute – as do shanty towns.
Chalayan was an influence with his link to architecture. I am using architecture to inform fashion. The image above mimics the appearance of shanty town houses layered one on top of the other. I looked at Vivienne Westwood because of the link with Africa but chose this particular image as it had strong links to my images.
From this research and my photographs, I will focus on layering, texture, colour, patchwork, clutter, found objects, pieces of rubbish which are evident in all my references. My final piece will reflect layering – it won’t be a flat surface. It will also be textured and have lots of different visual information all at once. It will be busy and have a variety of texture, colour and pattern. I want the audience to feel the decay – it won’t be fresh and new and clean. It will reflect the asymmetric sections of shanty walls and roofs as well as the textures.
This research has narrowed down my project to shanty towns instead of being generally about my Sierra Leone images. I focused more on the architecture and structures of the dwellings to become more textile and print based. I realized how much information I could get from this theme.
Bibliography
Quinn, B. (2003). The Fashion of Architecture. Oxford, Berg.
http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/multimedia/made-with-love-in-nairobi (Accessed 02/03/2012)
http://www.pampig.org/dev/wordpress/tag/china/page/2/ (Accessed 15/03/2012)
http://www.technogelworld.com/michael-beutler ( Accessed 18/03/2012)
http://www.frieze.com/shows/review/michael_beutler/ ( Accessed 15/02/2012)
http://creative-idle.blo gspot.com/2011/06/brand-of-week-harold-kensington.html
“The artist analyses forms, functions and materials that make up the show space to then create architectural details, which transform the viewer into player in a process of reconversion.”
(http://www.technogelworld.com/michael-beutler)
He is related to my FMP in that I am looking at shanty towns and the African environment. He creates architecturally inspired pieces which are linked to shelter like the shanty towns. The pieces he uses are colorful and remind me of patchwork which reflect my photographs. The layering he uses is also echoed in my primary research.
Vivienne Westwood has been involved in an ethical fashion program. The program was to support over 7,000 women to improve their lives. The program helped some of the poorest people in the world and helped them get jobs. It helped children attend school. It pays for medical expenses. It ensures other basic need. All the people involved in Vivienne Westwood’s Ethical Fashion Africa collection have learnt new skills. The aim is that many will start their own companies and train the next generation of skilled workers, raising the standard of living in one of the world’s most fragile economies. She used some of them as models for her fall campaign.
(http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/multimedia/made-with-love-in-nairobi)
Vivienne Westwood has used or seen the beauty of these poor areas of Africa – taking colour or pattern to inspire her collection.
“The artist Do-Ho-Shu draws upon tailoring techniques to create large-scale architectural structures. His work explores sculptural characteristics of rooms and entire houses, using fashion techniques to expand his idea of ‘clothing as space’. (Bradley Quinn: The Fashion of Architecture)
His work is like mine will be. He is inspired by architecture and I like how he uses fabric to become shelters and like architecture.
“Hussein Chalayan’s clothes are minimal in look but maximal in thought; his fascination with architecture, spatial dynamics, urban identity and aerodynamics are expresses in garments based on concepts, architectural systems and theories of the body.”
(Bradley Quinn: The Fashion of Architecture)
Another designer that looks at architecture and incorporates it into fashion is Chalayan. Again he is looking at 2D/3D and the use of layering links with other research I have shown here.
Pieter Hugo was born 1976 and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a South African photographer who primarily works in portraiture and whose work engages with both documentary and art traditions with a focus on African communities. For the past year Hugo has been photographing the people and landscape of an expansive dump of obsolete technology in Ghana. The area, on the outskirts of a slum known as Agbogbloshie, is referred to by local inhabitants as Sodom and Gomorrah.
His photography is quite strong and unusual. I love the textures and it could become a garment. His photography is similar to mine in the waste and has a textured feel from the dusty landscape and the different forms.
"Huang Qingjun and Ma Hongjie decided to collaborate on this project, ‘Family Stuff’ in 2005. They have visited a number of areas in China for this project looking for typical Chinese homes to photograph by bringing the domestic objects used in everyday life outside. ‘Huang and Ma work as independent partners, Huang covering the North, Ma the South of the country. Convincing families to expose themselves to their cameras is the major challenge that both face on their respective expeditions. Building trust and laying the groundwork for the shoot can take months, again and again Huang and Ma have to explain why they want the families to empty their houses and let the artists decoratively arrange their belongings outside. Once they have agreed to participate, most families are happy to display their possessions, even more so since they receive financial compensation. In some cases, not all belongings are permitted to be shown, in others not all furniture fits through the doorways; but generally, the artists confirm, their portraits depict average Chinese reality as it is today: simple, unpretentious and compared to 20 years ago, strikingly void of political paraphernalia. In 2011 this project is scheduled to end with a total of 50 pictures and a book’. You can read more about this project on a mesa de luz."
(http://www.pampig.org/dev/wordpress/tag/china/page/2/)
These photographs are similar to mine in showing everyday objects – found objects. These show interesting forms and the composition and how they come together is interesting. The amount of visual information in these images is similar to some of mine – it is like a jumble sale.
Harold Kensington- Autumn 2011 collection
“My style is informed by oversized fit translated into refined wearable womenswear; delivering a quality assured/luxury collection amidst the exploration of new surfaces, fit and creativity.”
This is a collection by Harold Kensington- Autumn 2011 collection. What I like about this collection that designs are tailored and meant to be loosely fitted, he is inspired by the depression of the 1940s (baggy, outsized, second hand clothing) mixed with African stripes and layers. I like this mix of loose and fitted – I like the way the silhouette comes off the shoulders and out until it comes back at the ankles. I like the layering, the different textures created by the boiled wool, cotton and leather. The colours are bright and vibrant the remind me of the colours I found in the market. I will be developing some design ideas in a similar way.
Michael Beutler links with my primary source which is the shanty town as his works I’ve selected remind me of shanty towns. The idea of shelter and protection is obvious but the patchwork he uses is like the way shanty town dwellings are made. Shanty towns are put together from anything in the surroundings which is how he builds his work. The colors in his work link with my market scene photograph. The different textures in Beutler’s work are like the different textures found in some of my photographs. His works look unstable and loose like shanty town dwellings. Beutler’s work has raw edges and isn’t neat. It looks as if it has been assembled last minute – as do shanty towns.
Chalayan was an influence with his link to architecture. I am using architecture to inform fashion. The image above mimics the appearance of shanty town houses layered one on top of the other. I looked at Vivienne Westwood because of the link with Africa but chose this particular image as it had strong links to my images.
From this research and my photographs, I will focus on layering, texture, colour, patchwork, clutter, found objects, pieces of rubbish which are evident in all my references. My final piece will reflect layering – it won’t be a flat surface. It will also be textured and have lots of different visual information all at once. It will be busy and have a variety of texture, colour and pattern. I want the audience to feel the decay – it won’t be fresh and new and clean. It will reflect the asymmetric sections of shanty walls and roofs as well as the textures.
This research has narrowed down my project to shanty towns instead of being generally about my Sierra Leone images. I focused more on the architecture and structures of the dwellings to become more textile and print based. I realized how much information I could get from this theme.
Bibliography
Quinn, B. (2003). The Fashion of Architecture. Oxford, Berg.
http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/multimedia/made-with-love-in-nairobi (Accessed 02/03/2012)
http://www.pampig.org/dev/wordpress/tag/china/page/2/ (Accessed 15/03/2012)
http://www.technogelworld.com/michael-beutler ( Accessed 18/03/2012)
http://www.frieze.com/shows/review/michael_beutler/ ( Accessed 15/02/2012)
http://creative-idle.blo gspot.com/2011/06/brand-of-week-harold-kensington.html
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Final Major Project- Proposal
My FMP is based around my visit to Sierra Leone, Africa. This Christmas I went for 2 weeks to volunteer which was based around helping the poor there. I have decided to base my project on what life is like out there and bring it into a fashion context. Sierra Leone is a ‘people environment’ and the housing conditions there are really bad. The ways of living are poor and dangerous.
The Good points around Sierra Leone are nature and the natural environment; it’s beautiful scenery to look at, the Coastlines, the beaches at sunrise and sunset are extraordinary. The Palm trees are just stunning to look at, I like their textures, scale and silhouettes. The weather conditions there mean that it is always warm. The Religion there in Sierra Leone is mixed. People are really friendly, always interested in what you are doing and very welcoming, generous with their time.
The Bad points about Sierra Leone are: the traffic is manic, always busy, not just at times people are going out to work. The people living in mud floor huts, with whole families living in one room. The children are sick, ill and dying of malaria, I found it emotionally upsetting. The Evenings are dangerous, muggings and robberies can take place, mostly in Freetown - Waterloo. The young people are affected by the civil war, which finished in 2002.
I visited an orphanage, a drug rehab centre, polio centre, hospitals and schools. The main form of transport was the Poda Poda, which is a mini van that would normally carry 6 people, but I have seen at times 20 to 30 people crammed into the seats and on top of the roof.
I would like to design a garment based around my experiences and then go onto manufacture the final designs and also do some prints. I know that I want it to be women’s wear and that it will be for broad, midrange audience. At the moment I am making drawings from my primary research, photographs of Freetown – Waterloo. I am looking at the qualities of line, texture and colours. The possesses I would like to explore are layering, erosion, using found objects and fabrics, recycling and up cycling. Some of the materials I have seen used to make buildings, shelters, clothing and baggage are plastics, tarpaulins, canvas, cotton / calico synthetics and nylon rope. I like the physical qualities of these materials and maybe use them as research and development.
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The Good points around Sierra Leone are nature and the natural environment; it’s beautiful scenery to look at, the Coastlines, the beaches at sunrise and sunset are extraordinary. The Palm trees are just stunning to look at, I like their textures, scale and silhouettes. The weather conditions there mean that it is always warm. The Religion there in Sierra Leone is mixed. People are really friendly, always interested in what you are doing and very welcoming, generous with their time.
The Bad points about Sierra Leone are: the traffic is manic, always busy, not just at times people are going out to work. The people living in mud floor huts, with whole families living in one room. The children are sick, ill and dying of malaria, I found it emotionally upsetting. The Evenings are dangerous, muggings and robberies can take place, mostly in Freetown - Waterloo. The young people are affected by the civil war, which finished in 2002.
I visited an orphanage, a drug rehab centre, polio centre, hospitals and schools. The main form of transport was the Poda Poda, which is a mini van that would normally carry 6 people, but I have seen at times 20 to 30 people crammed into the seats and on top of the roof.
I would like to design a garment based around my experiences and then go onto manufacture the final designs and also do some prints. I know that I want it to be women’s wear and that it will be for broad, midrange audience. At the moment I am making drawings from my primary research, photographs of Freetown – Waterloo. I am looking at the qualities of line, texture and colours. The possesses I would like to explore are layering, erosion, using found objects and fabrics, recycling and up cycling. Some of the materials I have seen used to make buildings, shelters, clothing and baggage are plastics, tarpaulins, canvas, cotton / calico synthetics and nylon rope. I like the physical qualities of these materials and maybe use them as research and development.
.jpg)
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