Barbie trashes her dream house

H o a r d i n g - 

I came across these photos through a blog, Unclutterer, which provides daily 'tips on how to organise your home and office'. Initially, I thought I was looking at some more awful hoarding images, where a person's belongings has reduced the quality of their living space. Upon second glance, I came to realise that the scene had actually been produced in 1/6th scale! Carrie M. Becker is a collector of "everything tiny". Titled, Barbie Trashes Her Dream House, I thought I'd upload just because the detail is so astounding.

My intrige with consumption, and perhaps hoarding as an extremidy, comes down to my view of fashion. Though I'm obviously directly involved and activly participating in the cycle of fashion, I do have a love-hate relationship. I don't quite know how to describe it, but I guess I'm responding to the fast-fashion-ish nature of things. I just can't bring myself to live it, breathe it like some people do - obessesively following and exhausting all avenues to stay ahead of the masses.

So am I looking at reacting against the typical viewpoint of what fashion, in all of its superficiality, is about? Maybe rather just commenting on the nature of the fashion system. Our lives are over-stimulated, as is the notion of fashion. I think I'd like my collection to reflect this.

Things of fashion

[Images from The Art of Fashion: Installing Allusions, Sjarel Ex, Museums Boijmans Van Beuningen 2009]

D o p p e l g a n g e r -

I was recommended an amazing book - Doppelgänger: Images of the Human Being, (R. Klanten, S. Ehmann, F. Schulze. January 2011) which has curated the most beautiful series of photographed work by various artists. The book presents seven chapters, which explore different approaches in capturing or questioning the identity of human beings. The chapters are: Embody, Dissolve, Appeal, Reshape, Perform, Deform, and Escape. Classic proportions are visually exploited with the use of decoration, sculpture and unconventional materials, which in turn, reinvents, disguises, obscures or enhances the form underneath. 

I found most of the images breathtakingly beautiful, which I guess might lead one to question the nature of beauty or even fashion, since the possibilities here are re-imagined. The first two images, (Kimiko Yoshida) that I have posted are for me, particularly stunning. The Japanese artist continually cultivates her desire to investigate her own identity through these self-portraits. 

[Above: Levi Van Veluw]

[Above: Madame Peripetite]

[Above: Nick Cave]

             

[Above: Ganz Toll, Urban Camouflage]

[Above: Leeman Smith]

          

[Above: Xavier Veilhan]

[Above: The Visualisation of Sound, Ted Sabarese]

Project

struc·ture  (strkchr) n. 1. Something made up of a number of parts that are held or put together in a particular way:hierarchical social structure. 2. The way in which parts are arranged or put together to form a whole; makeup: triangular in structure. 3. The interrelation or arrangement of parts in a complex entity: political structure; plot structure. 4. Something constructed, such as a building. Interested in exploring the idea of 'body structure' or 'sculpture', I collected a series of images - some of which I'd taken myself, to project onto the body. Some of the images were of architecture or parts of buildings, while others included lamps, light fittings, (objects I'd regarded as 'mini-structures') and 'useless' objects.  The projector exercise was interesting and some images were more successful than others. Either way, I think it was a good way to consider where some of these shapes could be applied to the body and to enable experimentation with scale.  I've been developing design ideas in my folio and I keep coming back to the method that was used for my Catalyst project, where perpendicular shapes or panels were inserted into a fitted garment to create an exaggerated, three-dimensional perspective. The projected images alone are also prompting ideas for further exploration. In particular shots, the structure and the body almost become one, where the forms from either are difficult as definitive. The image almost distorts the figure - perhaps a way to question relationships between the body and the object. Otherwise, and on a more emotional level, an expression of our reliance on things; objects; structures; anything that's not human.

Marni & i candy

Y e o n  L e e -

Uses recycled plastic bags to create lavish works of texture, scale and colour. Typically referencing objects that are symbols of status, i.e. - the chandelier, to create a contradictory perception of the humble plastic bag which takes on a new life. The plastic bag holds no monitory value and is the only mass-produced item that can be obtained for free. Lee says she's delivering "innovative meaning to daily consumable object as an art object."

Visually, the installation is really striking, particularly within the white exhibition space. The disposability of the plastic bag has been rejected and rather, the object conserved and exalted as something beautiful, which is an idea that I really like.

Yeon Lee

M a r n i - 

I also forgot how much I loved Marni. I like that they're about an entire look, where accessory is of equal importance to garment - particular old Marni. The collection that I scattered through this post is from 2009. I've always also appreciated the plays on proportion. No real structure here, but definitely lots of layering and various lengths. When I'm looking at these images, I'm picturing different plastics, almost like a stack of tupperwear containers - all in amazing colour combinations.

I'm starting to look at architecture and also mini-structures within home wears. I found some beautiful light fittings by 7Gods. The pieces are curvaceous and organic; the shapes are amazing. 

I'd like to create my own shapes with plastic sheets or something equally as rigid - perhaps in the same way that I approached my Catalyst project - and then look at projecting them onto the body. I've also been thinking about a plastic neck cuff, maybe it would hinge open. 

Key words / phrases thus far:

Body sculpture

Moulding

Exaggerated form

Plastic

Layers / stacked

Architecture

Body armour

Neck brace

Collecting

Hoarding

Conserving

Glorifying

Leather

Rubber

Synthetic