Chicago Trip - Fashioning the Object Exhibit

A few weeks ago I went to Chicago to meet up my best friend. I also went to see the incredible fashion exhibit at the the Modern Art Wing called "Fashioning the Object" the fashion of Bless, Boudicca, and Sandra Backlund which runs till September 13th.

I would show you pictures of it except that of course like most special exhibits you can't take pictures. Here are some photos I found on Google of a few of the pieces I got to view while at the exhibit.

I was very refreshing to see the pieces in person because as gorgeous and wonderful as the photos are seeing them in person made me feel much more "safe" about my own work. I could see stressed stitches, or how simple the shapes are. How she combined knit with padding and crochet to get certain effects. It was truly eye opening to see her work in person. It gave me a much needed boost of confidence in the work I am sketching and planning out.

The other two designers I wasn't as familiar with.

Bless is known for their interactive fashion displays where their inspirations are actively part of their presentations. You can't exactly call them a fashion show all the time but more like interactive sculpture and performance. For their display it was a curtained room with both inspirations and garments hung all around. You were invited to touch and to move through the curtains to view everything. I love interactive sculpture, it is much more meaningful to me and makes the experience personal. Below are some images from some of their Fashion Presentations.

Boudicca I had heard some about but still did not know much until the exhibit. They are known also for interactive fashion shows with technology such as videos, projections, and music. They also had this perfume called Wode where when it was sprayed it would be this indigo blue and as it dried it would wipe off the skin and clothing leaving only the scent.

The rest of the trip was the typically shopping and photos in front of what we always call the Bean but it's supposed to be a cloud. The day was gorgeous and I think it was one of the few times where I think it really captured the look of a cloud when I visited. They sky was just the perfect blue to reflect with the wisps of clouds above.

These were some outdoor Sculptures on display at the top of the Modern Art wing walkway. I just loved how they were all iconic in their own images then displayed in mono chorme matte colors very close and a bit random. It was like they were all intruding onto each others space and identity.

Everyone always talks about the Marc Chagall windows at the Museum but I never spent much time looking at them. To me they were something pretty on my way to class everyday when I went through the museum to get to my studio art classes. I took some time on this trip to admire them and they are breathtaking. The amount of work to go into creating each panel with all the curves and angles from the glass is impressive.

Hopefully if you have an interest you can go check out the fashion exhibit before it leaves. My next exhibit to visit is at The Met in NYC "Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada’s Impossible Conversations" Which ends August 19th so I need to save up for another trip to NYC. I'm sure it will be another amazing memorable exhibit.