Fashion + Text

I first saw Holzer’s work at the Tate Museum and was intrigued by the power of her words. There was no extravagance, the words were powerful and stood by themselves, and every museum-goer was drawn to the gliding words on the led strips.

Jenny Holzer is an American “neo-conceptual” artist based in Hoosick Falls, New York. She was a part of the feminist wave of artists in the 1980s who were experimenting with new ways to make the narrative/commentary an “implicit part of visual objects,” or in other terms, using text.

She is best known for her text-based light projections and LED signs which became more sculptural in 2010, but also works in media such as painted signs, stone benches, paintings, photographs, sound, video, projections and more.

 

Response to COVID-19, reference:

  

final photos:

For my garment, I made the most of what I could find. having just moved back home with my essentials, and an aunt and uncle who have nothing to “tear up” I scavenged plastic bags from packaging, plastic window adhesives, pink bubble wrap and old, stained t-shirts as my materials.

For my top, I was inspired by the masks that we so commonly see today that can might as well serve as a monumental signifier during this time. Taking 3 old t-shirts, I cut them up into strips and knitted a not-s0-perfect rectangle to emphasize the imbalance of what’s going on. I then cut pink bubble wrap into fine strips, and braided them together and carefully sewn them down by hand.

For the bottom, I found this plastic packaging that insulated the meat my aunt had delivered. I also cut them into strips and knitted them using kitchen chopsticks. I experimented with the width to find the right consistency. I like how scrunchie it looks and the reflectiveness of the plastic contrast well with the fiberous top.

The side panels were a bit trickier. We just got glass sliding windows installed and I noticed the large sheets of plastic adhesive that were attached to them. Taking a sheet, I cut them into wide strips, folded them onto one another so that the sticky sides would be closed, and carefully wove them. It took a lot of patience and a bit of tape for them to sit still. I then bound the ends with packaging tape. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out but it was worth the try! To attach the side panels to the front and back knitted pieces,  I used safety pins as they were efficient and also allowed me to take the bottoms on and off.

“Paused” is to symbolize how the whole world is put on hold. Not only travel and business but also our “old” lifestyle and socialization itself. Perhaps, as an example to put it into, our lives are like a movie, constantly going going going. But now, no matter who you are- young, old, rich poor- we’re all frozen, occupying ourselves with the mundane things of day to day life, and in this moment of pause, we can sit and think.