Mulyana

 

'Masks and costumes are seminal expressions in many folkloric traditions and can signify important cultural moments: heroic acts, define religious celebrations, channel spirits, or provide entertainment. Masks in particular are a metaphor for the facades we construct to conceal the ‘true self’ from our neighbors. For Mulyana the impulse behind the Adikara and Nayanika costumed figure installations, are intended to represent the opposite—for him, these avatars more accurately embody his personality than the Mogus characters are able to achieve. These figurative tableaus speak to the universal struggle of becoming comfortable in one's own skin and resonate profoundly as we grapple with this unprecedented era of isolation and uncertainty.' Mulyana

Mulyana makes multi coloured costumes inspired by organic forms from crochet and knitting. These costumes are from his exhibition, 'Fragile Ecologies', features two life-size, hand-knit and crocheted costumes and a series of sumptuously knit coral islands.

            

Melissa Meier II

 

Serpent headdress constructed from sunflower seeds made by the phenomenal  Melissa Meier worn by musician Caskey

Melissa Meier I

 

Melissa Meier creates incredible costumes from natural materials, this headpiece has been created using eucalyptus pods.

Meg Lipke

Meg Lipke uses recycled clothing and polyester stuffing to create three dimensional acrylic paintings, she also creates forms to be incorporated into dance. 

" ...sometimes they challenge the relationship of painting to the wall, because they might rest or slump or lean on the floor as if they’ve become exhausted by their job being paintings." Meg Lipke

Luke Rudman

A series of works created by Luke Rudman to highlight the exponential increase in plastic pollution in our oceans, created for Greenpeace Africa in 2021. Luke uses a combination of body paint, masks and costume a carnival of exuberant creativity. 

Venera Kazarova III

 

As you know I love the sculptural creations of Venera Kazarova, this is her series inspired by pineapple, photography by Ira Bordo. 

Martin Smatana

 

Clothes tell stories and I love this image by Italian artist Martin Smatana who uses old textiles to make new dreams. 

"An 11-year-old boy moved from England to Palermo, Italy. He had not seen his British grandmother for over a year during the lockdown. As all the flights to London were cancelled due to the pandemics, he decided to walk. His parents first told him “NO” for 50 times until his father finally agreed to go with him. They walked across Italy, Switzerland and France, they got lost a few times, got bloody feets, fought off wild dogs and slept under the stars. After 93 days, 2.800 kilometres and two weeks in quarantine, they made it to Trafalgar Square so the boy could finally give a hug to his granny who couldn't believe her eyes.  

This is one of 52 positive stories that I collected over the past year and turned into textile illustrations using old secondhand clothes." Martin Smatana

A Year of Good News is published by Monokel Books

Karine N'guyen Van Tham I

Karine N'guyen Van Tham is a French textile artist who uses nature to create her garments. In particular for a number of years hse has been incorporating the scales of pine cones, making an irresistible surface texture, like a natural armour.

These images are from a series called 'The Clan' consisting of several breast plates formed from comes. Karine imagines herself as an explorer or an archaeologist and creates elements that reveal and highlight details of clothing, a “second skin”.

 

Harumi Sugiura

“My work has always been constructed from textile, a two-dimensional surface to which I give a soul by giving it volume and movement: my accessories combine petals of silk delicately folded and assembled.

 A meeting 8 years ago with Michel Garcia, a specialist in natural dyeing, has upset and enriched my technique: my silks are colored with vegetables.

My work has evolved, my new goal: to use only one piece of fabric, naturally colored  which will keep the memory of the folds, the relief, the volume and the movements." Harumi Sugiura

 

Sylvia Eustache Rools

"La vi fofilé" from the series "Mange la chair", combining textile artifacts with bleached bones The textile silhouettes of Sylvia Eustache Rools  Summoning ancestors using family textiles and the bones that the artist gathers up on beaches (fish vertebrae, in this case).