"Wearable fabric art"

Whilst some artists like Miller and Morris use fabric in an implicit, suggestive way, it is often used to convey a far more literal message. Commonly found in shops worldwide, slogan clothing was made popular by Katharine Hamnett, and is now mass produced all over the world.

Katharine Hamnett's slogan t shirts

However this type of clothing, which began by conveying a positive political/social message, now often leans towards jokey or even crude slogans:

Slogan underwear like this is frequently seen in shops aimed at young people, leading them to think that these messages, which often promote promiscuity or sexualise young girls, are acceptable. 

Some feminist artists have already used underwear in their work to symbolise various issues:

Sarah Lucas, "Chicken Knickers"

Feminist slogan underwear, by Sami Cronk

Common themes in this kind of work include reinforcing the idea that women shouldn't have to wear nice underwear for men, and that tacky slogan clothing like that seen above does not give an accurate representation of women. It is also another reference to the fact that making clothes, sewing and embroidery are all seen as stereotypically "female" skills.

2nd fabric piece

My last fabric pieces were a subtle comment on women's position in society, and the way they can be used. Continuing to explore this idea in my next piece, I have once again used pink fabric as the stereotypical symbol of femininity, but I have used a bed sheet to create more connotations of "woman's work" (i.e. making beds, housework etc).

The folds and creases are also suggestive of female anatomy, as is the colour pink...

"According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink, especially when combined with white or pale blue, is the colour most commonly associated with femininity, sensitivity, tenderness, childhood, and the romantic. However, when combined with violet or black, it is associated with eroticism and seduction"

Colour symbolism/association

As much of my own work (and the work of artists I have researched) is focused around a few central colours, I researched the meaning and symbolism behind them, and their associations.

Pink

• primarily recognised as a "feminine" colour (in some countries like Japan it is a "masculine" colour - pink cherry blossoms = fallen warriors).
• variations of pink can be stimulating (fuschia/magenta) or calming (baby pink/peachy pink).
• associated with love and romance.
• regardless of your skin tone, some part of your body will be pink (tongue, fingertips etc).
• according to Jean Heifetz, for centuries, all European children were dressed in blue because the colour was associated with the Virgin Mary. The use of pink and blue emerged at the turn of the century, the rule being pink for boys, blue for girls. Since pink was a stronger color it was best suited for boys; blue was more delicate and dainty and best for girls. 

Red

• red is "the colour of extremes".
• it can represent love, seduction, violence, danger, anger, and adventure.
• prehistoric ancestors saw red as the colour of fire and blood – energy and primal life forces
• red is one of the top two favourite colours of all people.
• red is the international colour for stop.
• red districts sell sex and pornography in every European culture.
• the history of languages reveals that red is the first colour after black and white. (All languages have words for black and white. If a third hue exists, it is red.
• red is the most popular colour used on flags in the world. Approximately 77% of all flags include red.
• in Russia, the word for "red" means beautiful
• red captures attention. It is one of the most visible colors, second only to yellow - which explains why it is used on fire engines and stop signs to trigger alertness

Manipulating fabric & colour

Whilst some artists manipulate fabric to turn it into something completely new (e.g. Emily Miller, Lin Tianmiao), others simply "rearrange" it in order to create implicit works. This is seen in Robert Morris's series of felt sculptures entitled "Vettii":

Despite the fact that they are simply pieces of coloured fabric hung up against a wall, there is something obviously sexual about the works. They work similarly to some of Georgia O'Keeffe's "flower paintings", which could be seen as literal flowers, or the metaphorical "flower" of the female body:

Morris's work is similar to other textile artists' work, in that the use of fabric rather than paint or pencil can convey more meaning and symbolism. Like the large pink fur sculptures of Emily Miller, Morris's hanging felt forms give a feeling of softness and femininity to the space. The colours used are also important - pink and brown are very "human" flesh like colours, as opposed to O'Keeffe's brightly coloured "flowers" which have a less obvious symbolic connotation.

Own work - textile/fabric pieces

My first piece of work for this project is largely inspired by the use of fabric seen in the work of Emily Miller, and also by Méret Oppenheim's "Object", which was nicknamed "Le Déjeuner en fourrure" by André Breton and is known in English as known in English as "Fur Breakfast" or "Breakfast in Fur". 

With an underlying theme of femininity and an obvious sexual pun, the use of fur in the work carries the same connotations as Miller's "X Chromosomes" sculpture.

Oppenheim's "Object" ("Le Déjeuner en fourrure").


I chose to use similarly tactile fabric for my own work, as it carries connotations of femininity and softness, but decided to combine it with functionality and practicality (again, something seen as typically "male").

I chose to use fleece fur for its softness, and chose these colours because they are highly contrasting, and whilst pink is often associated with femininity, black is often seen as a more "masculine" colour. 

I made two large cushions, one pink with a red zip, and the other black with a pink zip. Textiles and fabrics are often seen as a craft and therefore a "woman's art", but these are also practical and can be used, rather than just being "something pretty" to look at. However the fact that they can be unzipped and used is also a subtle comment on how women can be treated in much the same way - as an object, something to be used by men.