Cycle of Reliance
2023
Cotton, denim, silk organza, pipe, wood

Cycle of Reliance examines the garment's transition from an inanimate object to a living choreographic object and explores the reliance wearers have with garments. The sculptural gestural silhouettes reflect on the historical, social, and relational language that are conveyed through the body and garment. Cycle of Reliance is referencing the dynamic, symbiotic relationship formed between body and dress. All the pieces represent a different phase or relation to a garment, developed through interviews with wearers. The sculptures are a visual representation of the body's reaction and the way the body manipulates the garment, without actually needing the body. The textiles used to recreate our everyday clothing are static and flat, but the sculptures metamorphosize the clothing into choreographic objects by playing with manipulations and framing of the body's shape to represent the gestural depictions of cloth stopped in time. In this piece I investigate how the cycle of reliance between the garment and bodies is fostered and alters the dynamics of the individual and community. The sculptures challenge our practice of dissociation by using the historical, cultural significance of garments and the dependency we have for clothing as a way to pull ourselves, the world and others towards us. Visual interpretations of the relationship between body and clothing show individuals how the relationship affects the deflated garment. This exhibit is calling on individuals to practice contact and relatability with each other, as we all share the intimacy of wearing and changing.