Theme: History
Adaptation: Umbrella
Materials: Undecided (But I picked up some battle sword toys and hand fans)
This design was inspired in part by the blue heron – a figure somewhat common in both old and new asian ink paintings. When hunting fish, the heron will extend its wings and wrap them around its body, tricking the fish into its place of shade. This canopy feeding technique stands as an example of the herons independence despite its preference to stay in groups.
In Chinese culture, It’s somewhat common for people to congregate in groups: building large families and staying close generation after generation. The first immigrants in Chinatown likely had to break away from this type of collective culture in order to integrate into american society – which values freedom and independence. This structure is meant to be held up by the wearer, as a symbolic sort of gesture of a person carrying a newfound weight on their shoulders – the weight of thousands of years of history and the hidden fear for the future. (And a history somewhat connected by violence).
Theme: History
Adaptation: Coverup?
Material(s): Scroll, silk, and paper tissue (held on a cage structure)
This piece is inspired by scroll paintings and silk embroidery seen in Chinatown. Specifically, what attracted me was the appearance of ink paintings throughout history as a method of documenting and maintaining little moments in time, as in everyday life, battle, and fantasy.
I would prefer not to do this concept as I cannot finish The silk embroidery piece by the end of the week.
The silk painting/embroidery is of the following:
