Resolved Work: Extending from the body.

As I have a background in making theatrical costumes mainly for dancers, I always begin with an idea of working with certain materials, and try to solve problems about wearability as I work through the idea. I began by forming a ring and then attaching the warp where I employed the ancient craft of weft twining/ alternate paired twining, to sculpt the armature. This is a repetitive process where manual dexterity and attention to detail is required.

As the piece evolved from the original concept, I began to think about proxemics and how one claims personal space. In the case of theatrical costumes it is also about how one commands space and how the wearer can have ease of movement while wearing the piece. I began with the idea of a collar where I inserted Cocos palm inflorescence that would extend from the shoulders and then made a separate neck cuff that also slips over the head.

I then decided to test the piece by walking through my house, moving through doorways and performing simple tasks. An awareness of the extensions became apparent while wearing the piece in how I was restricted and yet how empowering it felt to be mindful of my extended self. I also thought about being around people and imagined different scenarios such as standing in a queue where it would be hard to turn if someone was standing too close to me.

Further to this, I began to think about the psychological meaning of wearing a spiky costume, and what the visual language of wearing a spiky costume could be interpreted. While researching this I discovered the concept of the ‘spiky profile’ in neurodivergence that could lead to further research.