This work, Other People, was conceived and produced for the group exhibition organized by ceramic artist Carolyn Holder titled Brave New World. We were asked to respond to the post 911 world. Other People contains three distinct visual elements; text, a sense of the natural world, and a woman in a blue dress. In some instances props are introduced such as an arrow, a gazing ball, or a trampoline. These man made additions match the colour scheme of the dress and possess distinct qualities of artifactness…man-made. Many of the text refer to the French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre’s statement, “Hell is Other People”.
These photographs are intended to appear staged, with a comfortable dualistic effect of the natural and the unnatural or anti-natural. One image mimics the pose of Narcissus in Caravaggio’s painting.
The dress is presented in the gallery space along with the accompanying eight photos.
My response to the call is what has distinctly changed since 911 is how we think about “other people”.
This dress design includes circle and flounce elements which create a flow on the moving body and reference the iconic flamenco garment. The bow on the bum and the long sash are a kind of wrapping, similar to the decorum of packaging gifts. The silk satin and silk organza dress was a very time consuming affair of draping, mocking up in muslin and constructing. This garment was exquisitely constructed by costumer and textile artist Susan Hall.
