Starting properly

Wednesday and Thursday was used for self-study, using it as a good opportunity to make a good start on both parts of the brief for the Creative Approaches to Fashion module.

Within the first part of the module I researched the possible artists and designers within the list. I wanted to pick an artist as for designing a garment the best place to start is a more raw starting point. Where my ideas for a garment aren’t necessarily based on an existing garment but from a piece of artwork, which I can interpret more freely. Jana Sterbak I felt was a really exciting artist to choose, she touched on concepts and subject matters, which appeal to the modern society, in particular concerning women. I really like her use of experimentation with media and her approach to new ideas within her workings of sculpture, installation, photography, video and performance. As the majority of her work is in 3D form, my interpretation can easily be formed into a 3D garment. Many of her works are provocative and disturbing which offers something new and innovative.  As a conceptual artist she centres on the themes of power, control, seduction, sexuality and the ways in which humans have turned to technology to transcend their physicality.  This is a great starting point as I want my final ideas to be about modern issues in today’s culture also. My favourite piece of hers was 1987’s “Meat Dress.” This was a installation of a dress made purely out of flank steak, salt and thread. Sterbak created this to emphasise the contrast between vanity and bodily decay.  The meat is replaced after it was decayed. This decaying process highlights the concept of time and how the human body is on a clicking clock.

            I chose the word ‘skeletal’ to interpret alongside my chosen artist. I felt these two merged well together was there is emphasis on the structure of the human body and the association with a life coming to an end and ageing. My initial thoughts were that I could focus on today’s negative attitude towards the aging process, with the stigma attached to it alongside such things as the huge increased in plastic surgery within recent years. I want to discover why people, and in particular women have such hang ups about the aging process.

            For the second part of the module I started to illustrate a garment from my wardrobe. Within this part I experimented with a variety of media and drawing styles in terms of mark making, scale and proportion. I really enjoyed playing with new styles and was nice to be a bit creative.

Friday was Creative Design Realisation. This week we initially started getting use to the industrial machines with sewing techniques, which followed with trying out different possible seams. I hadn’t previously done anything like this before so it was good to try something new even if it took me a while to get use to it. I managed to complete all the seams and put together a zip successfully. I need to work on my accuracy and time efficiency.