Surreal Appeal

One thing Manchester always seems to offer in abundance, is Inspiration – there are always new ways to embrace yourself in culture & over the last couple of weeks, Rose & I have been exploring some of it’s finest:

http://www.subversivespaces.com/index.php/about/subversive_spaces

Surrealism is definitely my favourite genre of art & it’s long-standing parallels with the fashion industry have never been more evident with Haute couture, often the stuff that dreams are made of.

Here more recently, Basso & Brooke & Terry de Havilland have taken inspiration from Dali’s legendary Lobster Phone to produce this outlandish velvet outfit.

The Whitworth Gallery's 'Subversive Spaces' exhibition has broken the surrealism umbrella down into several fascinating themes: ‘Psychic Interiors’, through anxiety and hysteria, explores the constraining spaces of the home.

One of Markus Schinwald's Contortionists

Claude Cahun photographs herself in several positions wedged into dining room furniture

Hide by Anna Gaskell conjures similarities with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Despite living in Manchester for about 4 years, I’ve never lost that feeling of being able to get lost in the city. Several artist’s touched upon this feeling in - 'Wandering the City', where each artist explores the unconscious fears & desires by walking through foreign urban spaces:

Oddly enough, what sparked my inspiration most from this particular gallery visit, this was a dress used by one Lucy Gunning in the video 'Climbing around my room'

I loved the movements of the skirt as the artist climbed over items of furniture, which inspired me to make something similar:

Watch this space for progress!