Hussein Chalayan’s presentations demonstrate his unique ability to combine beautiful and wearable clothes for today with an intriguing vision of the future.
Chalayan 'Burka'
Burka focused on cultural displacement,something that is about identity. Images from Hussein Chalayan's 'Burka' show in 1996 are probably some of the most thought provoking I have ever seen. Forevering crossing the thin line between art and fashion, and in particular exhibitions and fashion shows, Chalayan's work excelled with the concept for the 'Burka' show. Challenging ideas such as modesty, identity and feminity, Chalayan presented models wearing different length burka inspired creations with nothing underneath them, with some of the model's being completely naked except for a mask and sandals.
For me personally, this work challenges how one item of clothing can really hide someone's identity. The burka is one of the items of clothing that have arisen from different interpretations as to how muslim women should dress. However, many in the western world have seen it as a symbol of patriachal oppression, as by covering women's faces it reduces them to the same person. For me, Chalayan's work shows women to appear to be all the same with their faces covered, no matter the length of the mask. As their face cannot be distingushed, neither can they as a person. And does covering the face really change how sexual a woman appears, even when naked? Nowadays, the identification of a garment as wearable art rather than fashion may have as much to do with the artist’s self –identification with the wearable art.
For me personally, this work challenges how one item of clothing can really hide someone's identity. The burka is one of the items of clothing that have arisen from different interpretations as to how muslim women should dress. However, many in the western world have seen it as a symbol of patriachal oppression, as by covering women's faces it reduces them to the same person. For me, Chalayan's work shows women to appear to be all the same with their faces covered, no matter the length of the mask. As their face cannot be distingushed, neither can they as a person. And does covering the face really change how sexual a woman appears, even when naked? Nowadays, the identification of a garment as wearable art rather than fashion may have as much to do with the artist’s self –identification with the wearable art.
Hussein Chalayan, Afterwords, 2000
Chalayan used sound, scent and touch to create something unique. The sound for example, is created by a flute made from a vodka bottle. And when a visitor is going through the tunnel, his position is tracked and he can smell the scent of lemon and cedar as he goes further into the tunnel. When the visitor leaves the tunnel, he can of course taste the vodka. All these senses together should give the visitor an impression of what Level Vodka stands for.I don’t think that the meaning of art change,but it is just another type of modern art.He used the feeling of the atmosphere to attract audience.
Hussein Chalayan, still from Absent Presence, 2005 (motion picture)
I think Chalayan’s was inspired by those postmodernist ,technology and social reality.He used the process of scientific to make the film and many concepts are based on the social reality.
A groundbreaking technique in modern art by Jackson Pollock
Marilyn in Pop Art by Andy Warhol (1962)
When the artists personally made the piece,ofcause the work that he made become more valuable and it is original.I always thought fashion communicates who we are.Human priority are shelter,food and clothing.Clothing is often an expression of your life.Whether fashion is frivolous,fabulous or functional ,the designers’task is to surprise and extertain.However in Chalayan’s work he was inspired by many artists,as he was trying to create something unique-to exploit every ideas and retain his individuality,which create the new modern of art.
I like painting ,because I think painting gives me a lot of personal feeling when you look at it.If the painting was done by the assistants,I find the work would give me a different feeling as well,as it is not originally done by the artists.It would be hard to understand
References
Jones,T.(2009).TASCHEN:100 contemporary fashion designers.China printing (pg.108)
Laventon,M.(2005).Artwear:Fashion and Anti-fashion.New York ,NY :Oxford
You have used a good point about Hussien's work, Burka... "Burka focused on cultural displacement,something that is about identity." The burka is something tat is commonly seen, and can be seen in everyday life in New Zealand, as our country is a multi cultural society. We see individuals who walk around wearing the traditional Burka to cover up their body as it is part of their culture. But in this work we see it doing the opposite such as revealing more skin for the wearer. Something that shows contrast and something that I believe that is out of the ordinary.
ReplyDeleteThe work 'Afterwords' is an interesting piece as it does show the spatial and architectural side of the piece of work, it can be seen as something that interacts with space around it. It's fascinating to see the materials that have been used to create the garment and can be seen as a modern piece of work.
I definitely agree that Hussein Chalayan’s ‘Burka’ show is very thought provoking.” As soon as you view these pieces you gasp in wonder as to what Chalayan was thinking when creating these pieces. I find this piece of work challenging as he is almost demanding you to think something of it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I agree that just because an installation piece or artwork is used for strictly advertising purposes doesn’t mean that it changes the meaning of art. It is still art and it still has a main idea although in this case the idea is to promote a particular product.
Chalayan's work that has explored notions of ‘wearable, portable architecture’ is a great feature that he has brought into art as not many artists oout there use architecture and fashion together. I agree when you used the term "unique" for his artwork REPOSE, i too think that it is very unique. When hussein used the features of sense, sound, touch and smell in this artwork and lets us use our sense while blindfolded is very unique and out of the normal. Hussein has become quite known so of course bussiness companies would want him to design for them so that it would help their companies too, because he has used his art work to advertise something it does not mean his art work is less ART, i thnk art and advertising in some ways are very similar as they are there to display and to show.
ReplyDeleteHussein Chalayan he is one of the fashion designer who can create clothes related with architecture, engineering, and mathematics, and philosophy so that he passed the limit of normal fashion area.
ReplyDeleteIn case of “Afterword”(2000) shows exactly his own character that I mention before because as we can see his collection, he focus on architectural side rather than fashion show. I really impressed when the tables turns into model’s skirt because of I never think that those material can be used as a clothes in fashion show. Also, when I saw other his collection though internet, his show was a blast of fresh air from the future and indeed it was a futuristic show personally.
I agree with what you said about how making work yourself would feel more satisfying and better as opposed to having someone help u paint it and that a painting is harder to understand if you didn't paint it.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about the 'Burk' focusing on cultural displacement, it is a religious thing to wear one and its supposed to cover up your entire body except for the eyes but in his work the Burka is like a series that slowly reveals more and more until all that is covered is the face, quite the opposite.
I agree with how the work 'burka' suprises you as it isnt something you see on a everyday basis, and how the work portrays what is underneath a burka and how society sees the culture from a complete different view.
ReplyDeleteAlso how you stated how the 'burka' is to cover the body completely and how the culture of the burka is exposed to the public.
I think the "Burka" was a risky artwork due to the political and religious issues related to it, but it was successful due to the public reaction to the artwork being exactly what is excepted from something like this. the reaction being a complete surprise which results in people remembering it more acurately.
ReplyDelete