ART VANCOUVER ; IT’S AMAZING HOW ART AND FASHION CONNECT

ART VANCOUVER

INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR

Art Vancouver is western Canada's largest international, contemporary art fair. This fair is an open space for artists to display their work to collectors, creative professionals and the general public. Moreover this year the international artists represent more than twenty countries.

Since Art Vancouver is a non-profit organization, they pride themselves on being inclusive and diverse. Certainly, they are reaching their goal, and this years theme is Uniting Nations Through Art. Furthermore, they not only display art but they also offer panel discussions and demonstrations on this theme. Art Vancouver aims to educate and inspire the global arts community.

ART VANCOUVER

HOW FASHION AND ART CONNECT

I attended the opening night of Art Vancouver, and I was surprised to see so many of the people I know from the fashion world there. Certainly, I am well aware how art and fashion connect, only I wasn't sure everyone else was in on it. I am aware of this connection better than most, I have university degrees in theatre costume design and art history. Markedly both of these disciplines are directly related to each other. Furthermore that's where fashion comes into the equation. I really couldn't tell you what I love more fashion or art .

Seeing my fashion friends in this environment was both refreshing and curious. I wanted to know what they liked , how they experienced the different works of art. With my media pass around my neck, I needed to find that special something that I could capture that nobody else thought of . Then it came to me the relationship between art and fashion.

ART-FASHION

For ages people have pondered the age-old question is fashion art? I 'm not sure that I have the answer but, fashion created for a non-utilitarian purpose, but for design is art. Therefore fashion is an applied art and painting ,sculpture, etc are fine arts . However, sometimes I just have to accept that I'm not a philosopher, and art and fashion co-exist. They do not just co-exist but they have mutually beneficial relationship. For centuries fine art has been an inspiration for fashion.

In the 1930's the great fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali collaborated on The Tears Dress. The arrival of Andy Warhol in the '60s signaled a new breed of cultural icon that reignited fashion’s appetite for art. Yves Saint Laurent and Warhol became friends and collaborators – Warhol painted a series of colourful portraits of the designer, while Saint Laurent designed his autumn/winter 1966 Pop Art collection, a sartorial embodiment of the artistic movement. Countless designers have featured Warhol’s work in their collections since – including Gianni Versace, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Raf Simons – cementing his status as fashion’s favourite artist. Therefore my idea of looking at the Art Vancouver fine arts as inspiration for fashion is not only relevant but exciting. I am presenting three examples for your consideration.

ART VANCOUVER; FASHION AND ART

Any one looking for inspiration for a fashion show could choose any one of the following artists work. I have chosen some of the artists work at Art Vancouver as examples of places a fashion designer might be inspired. Although the clothing I've chosen was not inspired by these artists , I am presenting a hypothetical to show how art and fashion are co-dependent.

ART VANCOUVER

JAKE BULL AND MOSCHINO

Jake Bull is a British artist who has also worked as a graphic designer , much like the background of Andy Warhol. In the tradition of graphic designers working as fine artists Bull presents works that are considered pop-art. I am very impressed with his use of bold colors and symbolic motifs.

We often see fashion designers referencing eras of art or taking elements of design from art to create clothing or even directly sampling prints and paintings in their textiles.
Moschino is a label that directly uses images from pop art to create colorful, fun clothing that speaks to pop culture.

ART VANCOUVER

LISA WOLFIN AND ALICE+OLIVIA

Lisa Wolfin is the founder of Art Vancouver and her dedication to promoting the arts and artists is commendable. First Lisa is a fine artist herself . Her biography reads like the creation of an artist 101. Firstly, along my theme, Lisa originally trained in fashion at the House of Dior, Paris. Moreover, her love of texture and fabrics led her towards the field of the fine arts. Lisa's works are an array of media and her body of work crosses over many fine art disciplines including painting, pottery, textiles, and photography. Her creativity is boundless and her uses of mixed media is a way of expressing herself in so many ways.

I have chosen this Lisa Wolfin photograph that has both a vintage and modern sensitivity. Again in the tradition of pop art this photograph has an underlying sensuality and a 1960's feel . However it also takes on the role of women owning their sexuality and sensuality a topic being explored, in the me too environment of today.

I have paired the Lisa Wolfin photo with a simple slip dress, something made popular in the movement of wearing underwear as clothes. A sense of titillation in the photo loans it's self the spirit of wearing a slip dress . This slip dress is designed by Alice+Olivia a playful, spirited label that is a personal favorite.

VALERIE CAPEWELL & SARAH RUNNALLS

While wandering the rows of art at Art Vancouver I came across a stunning display by artist Valerie Capewell. What stopped me in my tracks was a triptych painting of bright primary colours . Without any input, I thought of the colourful palette of Mexican artist Frida Khalo a personal favorite. While speaking to Valerie I was stunned to find that indeed Frida Kahlo was the inspiration for this piece. The bright violets spoke of life, vitality and have an energized feminine spirit.

taken from the handout of Valerie Capewell.

I began this series with a muse-Frida. I recieved my copy of Gray Magazine (Seattle) which covers interiors, fashion, art and design. the well written cover headline/story, and the beautiful photograph completely inspired me. The image reminded me of Frida Kahlo, and the fashion designer Paloma Hurtado, had a great story. The headline read, "When you come as an immigrant to the United States, you develop a thick skin. It drives you to be successful . To do things...even if you don't feel prepared."

As an artist who has also been schooled in design and fashion design, this cover just needed to stay with me a little longer. So, I tore it off one of my favorite magazines and hung it in my studio and began. Each painting in this ongoing series has a common 'thread'. They were all painted independently of each other, in part because my studio isn't large. To me the photo encompassed so much. Beauty. History. Struggle. Colour. Inspiration. I hope when you see these paintings you will feel what I felt.They are more than the violets. They tell a story. ENJOY!

My brief conversation with Valerie was insightful. When considering the paintings and a pairing in fashion I couldn't help but think of Victoria designer Sarah Runnalls , who showed this year at Vancouver Fashion Week. The colours the patterns and the overall feel definitely have a common vibe as the beautiful creations of Sarah Runnalls. Showing such a direct connection between fashion and art is not difficult. The examples I have shown were easy to establish and help me make my point.

IN CONCLUSION

Art Vancouver was a great chance to see many artists both local and international. I love the arts as a whole and fashion and fine art are my biggest loves. I wanted to use this space which is predominantly a fashion blog to explore the connection as fashion and art. Most fashion starts as a sketch, and that is the real connection. Whether you come to this place looking at fashion and see the connection to art or vice-versa, it is an important to support all culture. Therefore buy from local designers and other designers and visit local art galleries and art fairs.

WHAT'S HOT...

Darling's today was the first day I felt summer was almost here . The breeze was warm and the sky was sunny. Therefore one of the first things that change with summer are shoes. Whenever the warm weather starts the girls reach for sandals. Therefore, my dears you don't have to reach farther than your laptop to find the best what's hot sandals.