Space: Divided State of America

 

https://vimeo.com/247352495?ref=em-share

Public communication

Divided States of America 

LD13, 2017

 

“It’s not the United States of America, it’s the Divided State of America”

 

My aim was to create an oversized coat with reflectors and light highlighting the division between The United State of America being the Divided State of America. Since Obama ran for presidency and promised the change for Americas division, people had great hope in him. However, Obama didn’t have the support he needed from the White House to make the change possible. In other words, he divided the States even more than he united them. One man can’t change a country. He needed voices and hands that help him act and make the change possible. Hence why, people were very mournful about the promises that weren’t made real by him, which gave room for someone like Donald Trump (the complete opposite of Obama) to run for presidency and succeed. Trump didn’t happen by chance or overnight, he is the result of a country that has lost its identity and its values. Therefore, I decided to make society aware of division that splits their country, their states, their neighborhoods, which once was one voice. People stopped communicating with each other. The White House political parties stopped communicating with each other but people don’t care. The lights and the reflectors on my jacket that show both the division of the country. People should see it from far away no matter what. The goal is to make society think and question my statement. Make America united. Not divided. Not liberal. Not ignorant. A light in the dark. The sign for hope and change like my small twinkling LED lights incorporated within my flag of the United State of America. 

 

Please check out this website, its a small clip about the creation of this jacket. 

https://vimeo.com/247352495?ref=em-share

 

Photoshoot at the Four Freedoms on Roosevelt island. A historical place that once united us bag again.

 

My research:

Every project starts off with a feeling, an observation or an experience I have lived through but after that comes the research. I first watched the movie “Divided States of America” by Frontline in order to communicate my statement in straight forward way so that people understand it walking on the street. Research makes our work as an artist and designer happen, its deepens our understanding and makes the work worth for society to see and get informed by. Before buying any fabrics, I started off buy first mini sketches and explored my idea in further depth, by cutting out mini paper patterns and turn them into mini 3D models. Thereby I could see if my idea on paper looks also good in 3D. In addition to that I got myself some Muslim and did a first mockup of my coat in order to explore and see how to saw and cut the sleeve of my arm so that the person wearing it can rotate its arm without any restrains.

 

 Start-off sketches

https://vimeo.com/247352495?ref=em-share

Final Designs 

 

Fabric: I recommend buying your fabric at Mood (225W 37^th St. New York). The fabric I decided to use was a black grey wool fabric and a dark silver reflective fabric. In order to find the right matches, I get samples and hold them next to each other.

Pattern Making

Pattern Making of The Flag:

First pieces were cut according to the correct measurements (I have posted on the mood board) and then pieces were first draped on the coat. After pieces were aligned correctly I hand sew each piece using a black thread.

 

The starts were cut using a exacto knife after I sew the pocket on to the coat. In addition, I put a plastic fabric between the pocket and the coat so that I can put LED lights inside without them falling out (due to the stars that were cut out).

 

Personalizing your coat

By choosing your stitch or/and your LED light color

LED Lights (powered by battery)

(I recommend buying the lights at Target or Walmart)