This term as part of my Contemporary Contextual Studies course I had to write a presentation and design a poster to show how artists could inspire designer's collections. I had to chose a designer and artist to use as an example to convey this idea. Here is my final poster and presentation.
This term I
have really leant that in fashion it is key that you have one eye on the future
and one on the past but as the fashion cycle speeds designers do not have to
look too far back when sourcing inspiration.
History as
we know repeats itself and I think this is no more obvious than in the work of
today’s designers. We are offered an expanding mash up of recycled styles, and
as we settle into the possible post post modernism era I believe the days of
linear progression are long gone.
As a fashion
communication student I am taught to predict the direction of fashion in terms
of advertising, promotion and selling a difficult task in this fickle
environment. I think the industry has changed dramatically over the past few
decades but something that is unlikely to ever change is artists and art
movement’s influence on designer’s work.
To
demonstrate this idea I have chosen to focus on a living artist who was at the
forefront on a cultural and sociological shift and a designer said to be of a
new breed that embody British design today.
Movement
Brit Art’
was a short art movement in the 90s started by a group of young British artists
praised for their oppositional and entrepreneurial attitude, their drive and their
innovative art that demanded media attention.
Artist such
as Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin were among this group along with the slightly less
controversial Fiona Rae of whom I have selected as my artist. Together this
group of Goldsmith’s graduates revolutionised contemporary commercial art with
their choice of pieces that captured perfectly the attitudes to art around this
time.
The 90s were
viewed as a time of peace in the window between the cold war and the war on
terrorism but that is all that was peaceful. Continuing libelisation, Lad
culture and youth culture along with the
encouragement of recycling in design resulted in a decade of mash-ups in just about every aspect of life.
This is very much reflected in Rae’s style.
There Brit
Artists were taking advantage of this liberisasion and the post modernism rules
slackening. It is believed that the 90s saw the gradual shift from post
modernism to post post modernism and although this period is still being
determined the feeling of cross over, freedom and the potential to determine
the future is what inspired these young individuals.
Artist
Fiona Rae
was a painter who works were as high energy as the movement itself. She uses a
mix of materials to create dynamic paintings that were humorous, imaginative
and ambitious. She sees “beauty as potentially dangerous” an attitude I think
adds a daring angle to her subject. It is easy to see popular culture influences in the designs as well as a clear Japanese cartoon element that add a cool graphic art feel without losing the pace of her pieces. She is said to have taken a lot of inspiration from the comic Krazy Kat and what I love about Rae’s work is the personality she manages to capture in such visually delicate and beautiful paintings.
Her work is
a great example of how the 90s post modern art movement allowed her to take
references from Pop and 60s art as well as cultural art. The heavily patterned
pieces contrasted with the very mechanical pieces shows an eye for detail and a
control of colour. As Venturi once said Post modern art’s philosophy was ‘less
is bore’ and although done sophisticatedly Rae builds onthese roots.
Designer
Though
perhaps not a house hold name I think Rae’s work has the potential to inspire
many collections. When I saw Louise Gray’s SS13 collection the similarities
were unmistakable. Similar to Rae, Gray is a member of a pack of graduates this
time from CSM who are tearing up the London fashion scene with the potential to
really determine the future of the industry. The difference however is Louise Gray is said
to be working in post post modernism, something still difficult to get my head
around but seems to be continuing on the
back of this blur of boundaries between creative industries.
The result
of this is her designs are colourful, free and fun; she has been described as a
post post- modern Westwood- all the same daring, popping ideas but without the
political agenda.
The 90s
influence is in everything from the 60s designs and colours to obvious cartoon
elements. The collection had a very young east London vibe with the punning,
plagiarism and slogan uses made popular in the 90s.
The use of
glass and plastic along with the space age styling gave the collection a
kaleidoscope meets Austin Power’s feel. There was no rules followed in this
collection Louise said she just thought about everything she liked but does
“look back to look forward”.
The shapes,
pattern and detail could have been lifted straight from Rae’s work. The pallet
is very girly, youthful and playful something that both women’s work embody. I
thought there was an obvious GIRL POWER FEEL to the collection with the arrival
of Barbie which is excruciatingly 90s; the decade that brought us the Spice
Girls and the Wonder Bra, this again reinforces how Rae’s recognition of popular
culture could inspire Gray to do the same.
Conclusion
Louise Gray is practicing the freedom of a new
wave of artists and designers in thes same way rae did in the 90s. Like Chanel
and Picasso it will begin to become difficult to decide who is inspiring
who. There is no guessing the direction
of the references and therefore trends of next season but this unpredictable
environment is why I chose to study communications and I think the industry is
experiencing a very exciting move into a new era and with these artists and
designers working closely together I think the creativity is unstoppable. 