Mandy Barker

 

Mandy Baker has been scientifically collecting and photographing evidence of plastic (here I don't want to say 'pollution', it is to meek and familiar a word, and plastic presence has gone beyond pollution it is now in our very cells and brains)  'contamination' of our waters. I originally came across Mandy's work when I was working as a Museum technician in Fife and hanging the touring exhibition of Mandy's 'Our Plastic Oceans' At Dunfermline Museum and Gallery, I was impressed by Mandy's thorough and scientific approach to her work. 

Inspired by Anna Atkins 'Cyanotypes of British Algae' published in 1843 artist Mandy Baker had an idea. The eroded plastic based textiles she was finding washed up resembled seaweeds and so she set about to mirror Anna Atkins beautiful works recording seaweeds and mirror it in a Frankenstein way with the modern findings of de-structured plastic textiles to highlight the new chocking horrors of fast-fashion.

Above: Annna Aitkin's cyanotypes of British Algae.

Below: Mandy Bakers gathered textiles.

Above and below: Images from Mandy Barker's 'Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections’.

Mandy's book is published by Ghost Books and you can buy it here

Marcin Nagraba

Using costume, make-up, digital collage and photography Marcin Nagraba creates phenomenal folkloric portraits often using her mother as a muse. 

Charles Fréger. Portraits in lace: Breton Women

Charles Fréger's new book called 'Portraits in Lace: Breton Women' a very exciting collection of images of Breton women from every generation and region. 

The book features fifty headdresses, each is introduced and described in a separate reference section with specially commissioned illustrations. I always love Charles Fréger's projects and his interest and exposure of what is left of European folk traditions, dress and costume.

Ida Taavitsainen

'In Memory of my Wardrobe' is a photographic project by Finnish photographer Ida Taavitsainen. Using garments of friends and family that she has inherited she has examined memories and emotions attached to garments. One dress belonged to Ida's grandmother whom she never met, but she explained that wearing this dress has brought her closer to her grandmother as she knows her size and felt closer to her when she was wearing it.

 "My grandfather bought the fabric in Scotland, my grandmother designed the suit and her loyal seamstress made it for her. It was one of my grandmother’s favourite suits (above). She wore it for many years at lunches and receptions when she had to look presentable. I decided to continue the tradition, and am loyal to my grandmother in that I’ve also worn the suit or jacket at occasions when I’ve needed to look presentable. Ida Taavitsainen

Thank you

Orianne Lopes

Orianne Lopes is a young French artist who's work explores the body, its perceived, symbolic and mythical identity, using sculpture and costume to create photographs. (thank you)

Madame Peripetie

Madame Peripetie (Sylwana Zybura), 1979 lives and works in Germany though she is originally from Poland. Sylwana's images are surreal and fantastical, her work is a mixture of fashion photography and sculpture, using various fabrics and objects to achieve her end results. Sylwana is influenced by surrealism, dadaism, the new wave era of the 80's, the British post punk scene and the avant garde theater of Robert Wilson.

The blue of this bodice is so vivid and I love the textures.