From Junk to Fun

        I never predicted there would be a day I would be creating a piece for a fashion show, and I certainly never thought I'd see my sister walking down the catwalk wearing something of my design, but it's happening! On may 3rd at 6pm at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts they're having a fashion show called 'From Junk to Funk.' The idea is to take throw away items and create a wearable piece of art. I love found object and hodgepodge styled art, so I immediately decided I would work up an entry. I'm sure they meant a ladies dress, or a sassy purse, but since I'm entering it, we're gonna have a little piece of meaningful costuming!

        I've been working a lot with newsprint and maché lately so I thought I'd pull that into my design. Of course I need an idea, a concept to base the entire piece on. I decided to address the control media has on our lives, our mind and our bodies. There is a very strict image presented for us by the media on how we should act and think, and I wanted that to tie into my materials.  I drug out my manikin, set it's measurements, and went to work. I made the bodice out of very stiff maché, representing the rigid, almost claustrophobic demands on our bodies. If that wasn't enough I added buckles and a 'collar' to heighten that effect. The sleeves are long and reminiscent of both a hero's shirt, and a straight-jacket.

Front w/ just maché

Back without lacing

Added curls in paper
and shoulder pieces

 Lacing up the back (Shoelace)

I found out about this event a week before the application was due in and two weeks before the date of the actual show. So I had to move quickly with this one, but I am very pleased with the results!

I wanted to put a more positive spin on my piece so I called it 'Unbound.' To show that the model, and society to some small amount, is escaping the bonds placed on her by the media I curled several of the lower pieces of maché. The layers of her confinement are peeling away, it also represents the way she's stripping back the cover and seeing what's really behind what is printed on the page.

This project is still in progress, however, if it had to walk the way it is, I would still be proud to show it!

The final, we added little details like Bottlecaps, shoes (not pictures), and a lot of the fluff to the hat! I also spent some time trimming up the bustle.