Dior - inspired by history

Visiting the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the V&A Museum this week, I did not expect to see anything related to the eighteenth century.  So it was a pleasant surprise to have a whole room dedicated to historical inspirations.

These images are just a glimpse of some of the Dior creations from just one room of this exhibition.

I think what these photographs just cannot do justice to is the beadwork and embroidery - all created by hand and a testament to the skill of the unnamed craftsmen and women who make each of these items unique.

Attention to detail includes the stand for the perfume bottles:

The exhibition itself is not just about Christian Dior (1905-1957), although a section about him begins the display.  Instead is is about the fashion house he created.  After his early death in 1957 this couture business has had five other artistic directors responsible for its women's wear - Yves Saint-Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferro, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri.  The designs of all these also featured in the show.  

Beginning with the 'New Look' as well as historical inspirations there are pieces inspired by travel and by nature.  The nature room not only has some beautiful clothing but the paper flower decorations provided a real 'wow' factor on their own.

Another room (almost entirely in white) refers to the physical making of the clothes by displaying toiles - the 'mock ups' that help develop the structure of the work.  Another favourite was the diorama dedicated to accessories and ancillary elements - design work, photography, perfume, miniature costumes, etc.  The ballroom at the end is a spectacular finale - not just for the clothes but for the display itself.  

The exhibition continues until 1st September 2019 - but access now is limited to those who already have a ticket, members and a few tickets on the day.

For more about this fabulous exhibition it is worth visiting the V&A website which includes this clip giving a glimpse of how the exhibition was put together - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ch2Ixxf2M&list=PLe2ihXndm5jvn2eq0ImRi67QYIryW5tmq&index=2

Flying pigs and angry schoolmasters

Today I visited the V&A Museum's Pink Floyd - Their Moral Remains exhibition and despite spending three hours in there, it wasn't really long enough.  The exhibition tells how the band started in the 1960s and continued for a further five decades.  Along with the music the exhibition tells the story of the art (album covers, programmes, stadium shows) and the people who put together what began as "Happenings" and became stadium experiences.

The inflatable pig (famous for escaping its tether when photographed above Battersea Power Station) was not on display but a smaller version above a set made you feel it was really high above you.  But I think the schoolmaster puppet was the real thing.  The two giant heads from the Division Bell were real - and huge.  

And because I like to find the textiles in the exhibitions I visit, (if inflatables aren't textiley enough), they also had a pink man who seemed to have been sewn together.

There was lots about the music (obviously) - including how the band added in sounds of ordinary objects along with early experiments in electronic technology.  I was particularly impressed with this drum set - which perhaps should be part of the British Museum's latest exhibition on Hokusai.

There was also lots about the art work - for the album covers but also for the concert programmes.

Interestingly too after years of visiting exhibitions where there is a "no photography" rule - this exhibition not only let you take photos but also use flash - unfortunately I did not realise until the very end that that was permissible which is why my images are rather dark.

Another element I really liked were the old fashioned telephone box - each one had a collection of books, imagery, words etc relevant to the different decades.  It set everything in context.

More than an exhibition this was an immersive experience and well worth the visit.  Even taking the time we did it was impossible to take in everything so we plan to go back, perhaps at the end of the summer if tickets are still available then.

Pink Floyd - Their Mortal Remains is on at the V&A Museum, London until 1 October 2017.

Medieval marvels and psychedelic sixties

Recently my studies have kept me busy, but I have still managed to visit a few exhibitions.  I thought I would try and catch up and post some information about three that have not much longer to run. The first is the one with the most textiles and that is the one I shall start with.

Opus Anglicanum looks at a type of embroidery that dates to the medieval period.  Such was the expertise in England that all over Europe those who wanted the best came here for quality workmanship.  Sadly the re-using threads and jewels, as well as the dissolution of the monasteries meant that very few survived, and many that do are the ones created for elsewhere.  Because of their fragility it is unlikely some of this work will ever by seen in England again and it really needs to be seen slowly and up close.  

This is not a huge exhibition but the work is absolutely exquisite.  My friend and I spent quite some time trying to understand some of the stories they portrayed and I realised that my art history course had not gone to waste!  Quite a lot of the works include the life of the Virgin - not just the story of Mary but that of her mother Anne as well.  The Tree of Jesse also features quite regularly.  The very last piece includes the pall of the Fishmongers Guild - the mermaid is looking at her reflection in the mirror and both are worked in Opus Anglicanum.

The Butler Bowden cope shown above is one of the items on display (image courtesy of Wiki Commons from the V&A).  The Syon Cope is another.  However one of the most beautiful sets of fragments comes from Iceland.  

Definitely worth seeing if you have any interest in embroidery, this exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum continues until 5 February 2017 - so not long to go.

After a spot of lunch my friend and I then went on to a completely different exhibition at the same museum - You say you want a revolution?  This looked at a very different and much shorter period of history.  It looked at the politics, culture and in particular the fashions and music of the years 1966 to 1970.  Dresses worn by Twiggy, the Beatles (including their Sgt Pepper suits), Jimmi Hendrix and many others are included in this exhibition.  I even spied a jacket made up from a piece of Warner fabric, with a space ship design - a sample of the same fabric has been on display in the Warner Textile Archive.  

This is a noisy, busy, frenetic exhibition - especially after the calm of Opus Anglicanum.  You are bombarded with images, ideas, and music.  It showed how this period of time wanted to be one of possibilities - almost Utopian.  But there were negatives too, to some of the ideas of the time.  It was really interesting, thought provoking and sometimes quite challenging. 

You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels - 1966-1970 continues until 26 February 2017 also at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The last exhibition I mention has only a very small piece of embroidery included and but it does have an interesting history.  It is part of Bedlam at the Wellcome Collection.  This exhibition looks at history and attitudes regarding mental health asylums and is another thought provoking exhibition.   There is also a whole section on art works made by former asylum inmates.  

The textile pieces included are two sampler pieces stitched by a Mary Frances Heaton admitted to Wakefield Asylum in 1837 where she lived for 36 years.  Her illness was described as a combination of epilepsy and 'delusions' about an affair she had with Lord Seymour, whose children she had taught music.  She stitched complaining about her confinement to none other than Queen Victoria.   I do not know if Queen Victoria ever saw them or what she thought about them, but they are an intriguing piece of social history.  Unfortunately this exhibition finishes on the 15 January, but it is free to visit so if you are in the area you could just visit to see the stitching - personally I found the whole exhibition quite fascinating.

Past, Present and Future

My present situation means that I have not been blogging lately.  Partly down to distractions in the past (ie, successfully finishing my degree) and partly as I was busy preparing for my future (studying for a higher one), something that is now my present.  It means visits to galleries and exhibitions have been severely limited.  I did manage a quick trip to Opus Anglicanum (V&A) but I'm hoping to return as it is an exhibition that needs more time.  I have also been to Bedlam at the Wellcome Collection which includes two interesting embroideries - again I hope to return so I will try and write something about both these exhibitions when I revist.

This week however, I did manage to get to an exhibition by my friend and fellow textile artist, Chris Spencer.  Chris is also thinking about the Past, Present and Future as that is the title of her exhibition.

Chris has put together a small retrospective and alongside pieces I knew, there were others that were new to me.  She is a talented felter and embroiderer.  It was good to see work made over the the last few years altogether.  It was also small enough for my mum to enjoy and made for a very pleasant afternoon.  We took our time and examined everything closely.

One set of work that was new to me was a set of six panels featuring the caps of the six wives of Henry VIII.  I have recently been re-reading Peter Acroyd's History of England, so I felt I knew the story of each queen reasonably well. This collection of panels illustrates how each queen was an individual with a different story to be told rather than just a set of wives.  Sadly their lives were often tragic but not all. The Tudor period is such a major part of English history.  The major repercussions of the need for Henry VIII to have a son or two (an heir and a spare), changed not just the lives of those involved but affected the lives of everyone.  Changing the church affected even the lowest of the people at that time. 

I also enjoyed revisiting Chris' 18th century work that relates to her research at Rainham Hall, and her bird pictures, which I had missed when Material Girls exhibited at the RSPB reserve at Rainham Marshes.  The sea, sea life and woodlands are also strong themes in this exhibition.  

Chris' work is on display at Gallery 50, Craft Arena, in Billericay Barleylands (craft village), Essex and continues until the 30 October 2016.  Based in a gallery within a craft store, a visit can be combined with a bit of retail therapy - what's not to like!

Indian fabric - craftsmanship and splendour

The Fabric of India was an exhibition I visited on the same day as I visited Shoes: Pleasure and Pain (see last week's blog) at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  Of the two I have to say I enjoyed this one the most - although both were worth a visit.

The Fabric of India looked at Indian textiles from a wide range of viewpoints - craftsmanship, historical, contemporary, status, political and social issues.  It was also the exhibition where I learnt that for the ancient Greeks and Babylonians, the word 'cotton' was synonymous with India.

The entrance includes a huge seventeenth century "summer carpet" flanked with two mannequins dressed in very contemporary versions of Indian fashion.  It was a good introduction to an exhibition that looked at such a historically diverse subject.

In the next section, which was large and spacious, the exhibition concentrated on the craftsmanship behind textile production - growing, weaving, dyeing, printing, embroidery.  I liked the fact that they showed family businesses still producing cloth or textile products - highlighting the craftsmen (and women) as well as the techniques and products themselves.  

There were sections that showed courtly splendour, textiles with sacred attributes, global trade, and contemporary designs.  It was also good to see that they included a section about how Britain exploited the trade, to the point that the Indian textile tradition was severely damaged - a side of textile history that in the past might have been ignored.  

There were some very beautiful pieces and fascinating items on display.  A favourite of mine was the embroidered map shawl, dating from the 19th century.  Even the exhibition graphics, which included stitched words, were worth admiring.

After a visit to the shoe exhibition in the morning this was a big exhibition to take on.  If I get the chance I would love to go back.  Next time I would take my notebook.  

Again no photographs so the images for the blog are from the V&A's permanent collection of South Asian textiles.  The exhibition continues until 10 January 2016.

Shoes - a pleasurable experience but not without some pain

Any textile artist would probably tell you that the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London is one of their favourite museums in the capital because of its permanent collection which includes a vast number of textile pieces, but also because of its focus on textiles for many of its temporary exhibitions.  Perhaps Shoes: Pleasure and Pain is not really a textile exhibition per se, but it certainly included a lot of textile items.

The categories of display in the lower galleries included transformation, status and seduction.  One display focused on shoes supposed to have magical properties to transform the wearer - like a crystal slipper for Cinderella.  The "status" section shoes that were intended to display wealth or the ability to have so little need for walking you could wear shoes that were completely impractical. The "seductive" shoes included sexy heels and fetish wear.  This was certainly a very broad display and anyone interested in shoes from a social, historical or design perspective would find plenty of interest.

Unfortunately this downstairs section of the exhibition was the most crowded area and with people trying to peer at the displays it made the viewing experience not as pleasurable as it could have been.  This was for me the "pain" of the exhibition but certainly not as painful as I imagine some of the shoes might have been. 

In the more airy upper gallery the focus was on the creation of shoes - showing how a shoe is designed and developed. There was also a collection about shoe collectors.  It was interesting to see the range of shoes that people collected and also how some displayed them like art objects and others kept them safely in boxes.  Some collectors wore shoes their collections while others just kept them as objects of beauty.

There were some audio visual displays including filmed interviews with shoe designers talking about inspiration and working practices which wss worth watching. Other imagery around the walls showed shoes being made - step by step.

This was an interesting exhibition and one I would have liked more with a little more space.  There was a warning at the entrance to leave coats in the cloakroom and it would have been wise words to heed.  

Unfortunately no photography allowed in the temporary exhibition, so the shoe image at the top of this blog is from the permanent collection - of which there are several in the costume display.

This exhibition at the V&A continues until 31 January 2016.  If you combine it with the Fabric of India exhibition you may want to save longer for this much bigger exhibition, of which I will say more in my next blog.