Plinth II
Mollie Sinnott | Fashion Design
What lies beneath the aftermath. “The moon put fourth her sign of woe unheeded; But disobedience slept; the dark’ning deluge closed around, And the last token came: the giant framework floated, The roused birds forsook their nightly shelters screaming, And the beast waded to the ark.’ -J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851)” What lies in the aftermath’ aims to depict the path of the oceans destruction and what remains after it subsides. It represents the idea of renewal, and peaceful regeneration following on from pain and disaster. This will be achieved through a stark and barren aesthetic, with white and natural hues punctuated only by the scattered remnants of sea worn net, rope and the protective garments of my graduate collection ‘Anchor’. At the epicentre stands an ominous anchor point, white and solid with a single white life ring, a solid mast in the middle of the destructive path. My early childhood experiences living next to the ocean allowed me witness first hand the force and destructive power of the waves as storms batter the coastline, often resulting in destruction and tragedy. Storms fade away quickly but the damage left behind can take years to repair. My work takes influence from the paintings and poems of J.M.W Tuner and seeks to discover the aftermath of the deadly storms like those he depicted so often. The aim of the installation is to use the interaction of several items both found and hand made to examine and display the effects of the ocean and what lies in its wake once the tides have subsided. Contrasting found objects worn and eroded by the ocean with handmade garments was a key designs element in my graduate collection. Fishing net worn from years of use, rope and cork boys highlighted the protective water proof fabrics in ‘Anchor’. The netting demonstrated the fragility and weakness that natural fabrics have against the oceans power. I want to step away from the safety and protection of waterproof fabrics and use natural cottons to show the vulnerability of natural fibers. My designs are a continuation from my previous work, using similar patterns, I want to take away the embellishment and heavy draping and use a cleaner and crisper spec. The garments will be made in white natural cotton, this represents the isolation and void destruction leaves behind. White is also a key factor in representing the eerie calm and hope that follows in a storms wake. |