Waste Not - Song Dong

‘Wu jin qi yong’ is what Chinese artist Song Dong titles his latest edition of work currently carpeting the floor of the curve gallery of the Barbrican. Loosely translated as ‘Waste not’, the categorically curated piece, comprising of over 10,000 everyday possessions, is homage to his mother, Zhao Xiangyuan. With China’s drift away from socialism and toward the ‘restoration of capitalism’ in 1966, at the hands of Chairman Mao, Zhao Xiangyuan saw no other option than to be parsimonious.

Hording has always been an obligatory way of life in hard times and seems to leave the individual with the need to save everything for future use. This is undeniably apparent when viewing the vast collection of items before you, such as empty toothpaste tubes, drinks cans and broken pots and pans, some of which I fail to see as reusable other than by recycling. However, Song Dong was motivated to make his mother’s obsession an art piece due to a family tragedy, the loss of his father in 2002. Zhao Xiangyuan descended into a deep depression and began to attempt to fill the void left in her life with material possessions, regardless of their use. It was then that Song Dong suggested that they used her obsession as an art form and outlet for her grief and states that “It gave my mother a space to put her memories and history in order”.

I had anticipated that many of the Chinese articles would seem unfamiliar to me, which was certainly true upon arriving at the exhibition to be greeted by an array of foreign toys and tools. Yet as I made my way thorough the space, I was surprised by the scale of recognisable packaging, that speaks a lot for the globalisation of the commerical industry.

One thing that Song Dong does very successfully through his piece is compel the viewer to think about the amount they waste. Walking past the multiple objects laid out before me, I am instantly aware of the amount that I toss to the landfill. ‘Waste not’ has a relevance to us all, the exhibit forces you to question your influence on the environment by throwing things away. Perhaps we should question what we do with items that we believe to be done with, and ask ourselves whether they really need replacing.

Why I wish I was a little boy named Bernard

Everyone has an answer to the untimely question of “If you could have a superpower, what would it be?” and although invisibility and the ability to fly have very charming attributes, I’ve decided to take my wishful thinking to a more subordinate level. If you’re an eighties or nineties child I’m sure you will fondly remember the TV show Bernard’s watch, and that is indeed what I would wish for, the ability to pause time. Seriously, 24 hours are not sufficient.

For me, I’m a student, I establish my own personal projects, I hold two jobs, a long distance relationship, attempt to see friends and family from all over, I work out four times a week (on a good week might I add) and there’s always an errand to be ran. I know I’m very lucky to be following my dream, doing something creative with my life and studying in an awesome city, yet I find that sometimes I’m losing the will to live. I’m positive I’m not alone, my peers are under the same pressure, and with the big wide world lurking ahead we’re all keen to be as paramount as possible to show it what we’ve got. Plus we’ve all got to sleep sometime!

There are 24 hours in a day, 168 in a week and 720 in a month, so much can be accomplished, so much can be wasted, but it’s time to stop worrying about it!  I’m beginning to apprehend that I’m not a perfect person, and neither are you! It’s time to chill out a bit and be proud of what can be achieved to the best of your ability.

I’m certainly not declaring that we should all just give up. Especially when my friends and I are at the beginning of our potential careers, it’s exceptionally important that we work hard to be the best that we can be. We should intern, shadow and experience, learn, study and review, write, create and establish. Most importantly we should relish in what we do and look forward to entering the real world with what we have to offer. Nevertheless, superpowers are unobtainable and have you ever heard of a hero selecting his proficiency?

Enjoy what you do, and allow yourself some down time. Work hard, play hard. The finest advice I know, perhaps though, we could add: Relax hard?

British Design 1948-2012

With the imminent Olympics and Diamond jubilee, it seems that Britain has a lot to be proud of this summer. The growing patriotism of the country makes it no surprise that galleries are taking up the opportunity to flaunt our creativity and the V&A is no exception. Christopher Breward and Ghislaine Wood, the curators of the current exhibit, have focused the showcase between British hosting of the prestigious Olympic games; from the hard graft of the ‘austerity games’ in 1948 to what promises to be a more glamorous event in 2012. British Design 1948-2012 follows the ever-changing culture in Britain from post war renovation to the flourishing technology of modern day, and marks the ways in which creatives overcome and embrace change to the British lifestyle.

Upon entering the exhibit you are welcomed with a romantic celebration of Britain’s architectural history in the form of a section of John Piper’s mural ‘The Englishman’s home’.  Sitting majestically beneath the homage of British construction sits three elegantly designed chairs of the 1950’s, including Ernst Grace’s marvellous Kangaroo rocking chair, featured greatly in the Festival of Britain, made from a long single length of steel.

British Design is separated into three main expanses, each space giving off a very different ambiance. Initially, we are engrossed in Tradition and Modernity an area that focuses on the devastating impact of the Second World War and the reconstruction of British culture. The Festival of Britain in 1951 takes a strong rostrum in this section, this event, and others such as the coronation of Elizabeth II were clearly a beacon towards progressive design and lifestyle. This portion of the exhibit enthusiastically displays the growing concern, in the 50s, of successful and healthy lifestyle, including sections on the design of innovative urban planning to ethical living. There’s much to take in Tradition and Modernity and every spectator is guaranteed to find something of interest, whether it be in the Harris tweed revival through designers such as Vivienne Westwood, or the development of the Routemaster bus that stayed functional until 2005.

Succeeding this, we move into the Subversion space, focusing on the insurgence of British art school students into the creative domain. With the faint sound of David Bowie overhead, I for one am instantly more settled upon entering this part of the exhibit. From the influence of artists such as Hockney, Paolozzi and Hamilton in the Pop era of the 60s to the anarchism of Punk in the 70s this elating section of the exhibit demonstrates the irreverent and innovative approaches that sculpted Britain’s cultural landscape. The influence of the designer on music, fashion and youth culture is displayed distinctly throughout this section, which truly emphasises how much power creativity can attain.

With a warm farewell from a gathering of CSM (Central St Martins) graduate garments, we enter the third and final aspect of the show, Innovation and Creativity. At first I am enthused that the first thing I lay my eyes on is a rather gorgeous Jaguar E-Type, yet as I make my way through the final part of the exhibition it is clear that the world we live in today is very far from the world in which I entered the exhibition. Innovation and Creativity moves away from traditional manufacturing towards the more recognisable technological design to which we have become accustomed, as is ultimately a reminder that the social media and gaming are taking over our lives.

Overall, I would consider the British Design to be a success; the curators have successfully engaged me into understanding an impressive overview of 60 years of hardship, revolution and design. Whether it be theatre design, aeronautical engineering or video games, there will be something you enjoy displayed in the exhibition. Finding it on the other hand is a different matter. If anything, I would consider the show to be overwhelming of information, and really a good afternoon is required to appreciate the multitudes of work on display. This exhibition is more than design, it is a homage to the strength and pride of the British in overcoming cultural, economical an physical strains on our society, and ultimately achieving great creative solutions to whatever the problem may be. 

Tickets

Drawing Fashion at the British Design Museum

EZINE

When visiting an exhibition on illustration the last thing you expect to welcome you is a montage of films exhibiting vintage fashion catwalks. Yet don’t let the stunningly glamorous models draped in the likes of Dior and Chanel fool you, ‘Drawing Fashion’ is more than clothes, it’s about how those designs have been displayed for the past century and encompasses excitement for all. Ideal for those interested in numerous subjects such as illustration, graphic design, fashion design, history, and fine art. Yet by the time you have viewed half of the gallery, you question whether the misleading archive footage that welcomed you was really necessary.

Much like a garment, there are no straight edges to the ‘Drawing Fashion’ show space, perhaps that was the plan or the curator, Colin McDowell. After ascending a bold white staircase your first introduction to the exhibit is a dazzlingly bright welcome from two concaved white walls exhibiting a solitary silver introduction. This inauguration into the gallery elucidates the beginnings and growth of fashion illustration from the original formulaic and minutely detailed drawings in journals to the growth of demand for elegant pieces to exhibit in new publications such as French Vogue and La Gazette du Bon Ton in the 1920s.

As you move through the futuristic layout the series of drawings unravel, the vivid white walls frame the images in a crisp and well-dressed manner. The show launches with the historic transition from gold to silver age at the beginning of the twentieth century. Here, we concentrate on the post world war society, from which any Edwardian privilege and aristocratic supremacy of the early century had been swept away. The effects on the fashion world are elucidated with the introduction of the Little Black Dress from Coco Chanel, formalising a way of dress that was already in existence.  A silver font imprinted onto the wall reflects the growth of titanium and stainless steel, which had great influence over the population, and therefore fashion. Like many items at this time fashion was not affordable for everybody .

 A recurrent name in this section is that of Georges Lepape, the French illustrator was of great significance during the beginning of the century working for Paul Poiret and periodicals such as Femina and Vogue. Lepape established the use of movement into fashion illustration displaying garments on models that faced away from spectators, allowing the clothes to be the fundamental aspect to his pieces. The artist took influence from the Ballet Russes; his bright colours and use of line drawings took place as a key feature to the post war re-introduction of La Gazette du Bon Ton. Lepape’s designs remained in high demand until the year of his death in 1971 and he had great influence, not only in fashion, but also in catalogue and industrial illustration.

The framed works that append the sides of the walkways throughout the exhibit appear periodically throughout the exhibit accompanied by silver commentaries and magazine layouts. It’s a shame that the rare magazine covers displayed sporadically throughout the display do not have more involvement with the illustrations as they sit in cases below.

When strolling through to the ‘Change and Decay’ section of the display I became fixated by the works of Bernard Blossac. Like Lepape, in many of his illustrations, Blossac uses models that face away from the audience and is keen to concentrate on the portrayal of the garment. Yet he was also eager to express cultural and political issues in his work. For example in the first edition of Vogue since World War Two in 1945 Blossac caused a stir when setting fashion illustrations against drawings of Paris during the occupation. His use of crayon, charcoal and pencil in illustrations of designs by the likes of Jacques Fath, depicted the tremendous sophistication and elegance of Parisian high society. His use of structured line drawings encompassing a mix of erratic colours created incredibly beautiful portrayals of striking garments.

In this and the subsequent part of the show, war and depression are exposed as controlling the fashion capital of Paris and you feel rather deflated by the explanation of the South of France being opened by Americans as a ‘playground for the rich’. By the time Christian Dior hits back with the ‘Joie de vivre’ of haute couture all seems well as the eye falls back to Paris. What was dubbed as the ‘New Look’ by Americans, I think, is better described visually, by the works of René Gruau, that captured the embellished elegance of Dior’s romantic vision. What better example is there than the Miss Dior advertisement? Gruau’s pen and brushes created beauty and charm with his use of minimal lines and confident colours.

What ‘Fashion Now’ seems to be missing is a comforting melody; instead the thoughts and conversations of those around you fill the room along with the cries of excited school children. Granted, perhaps this could be avoided if attending the exhibit at a less peak time, yet there is a feeling that perhaps some soothing music would be a nice accompaniment to the surrounding drawings.

By the 1950s youth sub culture groups became a big influence on the post war world on both sides of the Atlantic. From this advanced the Beatnik’s black turtle necks and the drape jackets and ‘drainpipe’ trousers of the teddy boy, along with Mods and Rockers. The teenager was born, and in rejecting their parents’ old school style of dress they had a great influence over the fashion world. The more libertarian and permissive society of the 60s and 70s pushed Kathmandu and San Francisco to the top of the list of dream destinations, and the hippy crowd began to have a more peaceful influence. The fashion world became mystified and illustrations were no longer in significant demand due to photographers becoming the superstars of fashion editorials and advertising.

During these capricious times there was one man that stood out as a true artist in the fashion world. Described as a ‘brilliant, witty and perceptive recorder of the scene’ Antonio Lopez takes pride of place in the penultimate section of the show that focuses on the 60s to 90s. Lopez stood out as the need for fashion illustration fell and his image of New York can be considered innovative in the fashion globe. Lopez was given free reign to capture the eccentric styles of the 1980s for Vanity Italy and encapsulated fashions worn by celebrities such as Joan Collins to the everyday woman that ruled the high street. Fashion was becoming an international business as flagship stores for designers such as Calvin Klein and Gucci began to expand throughout the key cities.

The end of the exhibit presents the fading profession more as artists than as illustrators. Individuals like Mats Gustafson and François Berthoud hit back against the popular technology with more expressive pieces. As photography eclipsed illustration Gustafson explored watercolour and began creating advertising art for the likes of Tiffany & Co and Comme des Garçons. Yet as work became more representational the details of garments became lost in the beauty of the creation. Although the pieces are stunning, you can’t help but think that clothes, for the more everyday reader of fashion magazines, are better depicted through detailed photography and more formulaic layouts.

Although some may consider the exhibition slightly didactic due to the running commentary of fashion history, for someone who came for the illustration, it is all very fascinating. Who said you had to read everything anyway? Drawing Fashion is a truly stunning exhibition, full to the brim with the names of illustrators that made their mark in fashion over the last century. It is sincerely enthralling to witness the growth and decay of fashion illustration before your eyes and I have a newfound appreciation for the art. Upon leaving, you have acquired a sunken feeling in the pit of the stomach, and are rather saddened that fashion illustration, which was once such a nascent art, is to impact on us less and less in the years to come; and that is something that McDowell should be really proud of achieving.

Maximalism

For my foundation FMP essay I wrote about 'Maximalism' you can view my essay here as an e-zine :

MAXIMALISM