For my diploma project i decided to take the urban camouflage theme forward and came up with the following proposal-
Client based project proposed to and accepted by Weavers Studio, Calcutta
Urban Camouflage
Textile project based on inspired city spaces that comment or try to grasp the relation and interaction between body and urban space.
The body represents one’s identity and expression and is a medium of communication which is responsive as well as interactive with the outside environment, surrounding space or situation. In order to fit in, it adopts certain adaptation techniques based on various social, cultural and political factors.
Suggestion of 2 scenarios’ based on a social and cultural situation of multiple identities-
SCENARIO 1
In this age of connectivity there is an urge to fit in and be accepted by communities. Consequently, Generation Y is characterised by fluctuating and transient identities and multiple avatars. In order to merge in with a setting, they change their identities as and when required according to location, crowd, situation and circumstance.
Identity camouflage.
NEED
Break free from the multiple avatars
Lead a less superficial life
Figure out ‘who am I?’
SCENARIO 2
Chaos, conflict and connectivity. A fast paced life with no time or patience to soak in the environment. Crowded spaces with no privacy. Abandoned places losing their sanctity.
NEED
To be alone
Avoid conflict
Merge in with the urban setting in an unobtrusive manner
Being intimate or one with the environment
Fly on the wall- observing and witnessing
PROPOSAL
I stumbled upon the term ‘urban camouflage’ while doing my research on camouflage as an adaptation technique in sea creatures. While looking at the available images on it, I realised that the term had a plethora of connotations- social, political, cultural and so on, and I started to develop my own interpretations of it. What drew me was the apparent identity crisis that everyone in our generation is experiencing. Thus, focusing on the social and cultural context, this project will be an explorative venture to try and merge in the aspects of body and environment with the medium of textiles.
It will go through a process of exploring and then finally identifying certain spaces in the city (Calcutta), which typically bring out the essence of the setting, and using them as an inspiration for a range of free flowing surfaces (stoles and sarees) that camouflage with the space and also can be morphed into a form. The textile pieces would be inspired from the chosen spaces, rather than be a replication of it, draping it on the body, camouflaging it with the urban setting.
Multiple textile techniques could be incorporated to get the look and feel of the fabric pieces. On the other hand, it might be challenging to experiment with a new technique that can be explored and taken forward to achieve the desired look.
Performance art with textiles-finally, using the surfaces as performative elements, not as a mere prop, but as the performer in the performance, in terms of movement and actions that depict a narrative or make a statement on urban camouflage.
Or it could be a video art or installation (with a concept in mind, shot interestingly), showing the hide and seek nature of camouflage and thus making a statement on the situation.
Narrating a story and giving life to textiles.
RELEVANT QUESTIONS
-What is camouflage?
-What is urban camouflage in a social and cultural context?
-Why the want or need?
-When? In what kind of an environment or situation?
-How does one deal with a conflicting mind and emotions in such a situation?
-How to conceal or mask?
-What relation or connection does the body have with an urban environment?
-How can this relation be related to textiles? How can it be inspired from the body-space interaction?
-Who are the artists who have worked on a similar kind of theme? Examples of their work.
APPROACH AND PROCESS
Research on urban camouflage- articles, artists who have worked on similar projects and their works
Tours to interesting locations and identifying potential spaces in the city
Photographing spaces, textures and surfaces
Building narratives based on the inspired photographs that deal with the theme of identity camouflage. For example-
NARRATIVE BASED ON SPACE
Kumartuli. It is characterised by mud sculptures of various Hindu deities. Masses of them lined in corners, the sculpted mud heads drying on tarpaulin sheets, the brown jewels being adorned on the sculptures, the forms ready to be painted. The mud silhouettes remain without an identity or charm, looking like hoards of insignificant forms piled together, camouflaging with one another, till they are finally smeared with colours, instilling life and expression, breaking the monotony.
The earthy mud forms give a sense of uniformity to all of them, looking like clones of each other, characterless, representing identities in the making.
Some of the mud figurines lie parched with deep cracks, kept in forgotten corners, as if they were getting prepared to be adorned, but chose to remain identity less.
Once painted, bejewelled and complete, they transform into recognisable characters with distinctive features, bringing uniqueness to their identity.
Taking elements from the photographs and composing the textile pieces
Placing them into a collage
Scripting the photo essay or video installation or dramatic performance and executing it
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Weavers studio library- books on various textile techniques
Weavers studio- fabric resource, dye lab, printing studio and work space
Photographic equipment
Video equipment (maybe)
CHALLENGE
Capturing the essence of the chosen spaces on fabric
Recreating the space elsewhere as far as display and presentation is concerned
To effectively show the connection and interaction between body and space.
Coming up with a collection of fabric surfaces (stoles and sarees) that will be both appropriate for the client and also as performance art pieces.
Depiction of the performance
LEARNING OUTCOMES
To seamlessly merge 3 different creative mediums- photography, textile techniques and performance in an effective way
To understand the cultural and social context of the situation
To be able to follow a well thought out process, with appropriate design tools and ideologies, to achieve the desired outcome
To explore my role as an artist and designer in bringing out a social condition through the medium of textiles in an abstract yet expressive manner
Effective translation of ideas through exploration of various creative mediums, individually as well as collectively
To be able to make the textile pieces serve a dual purpose as inspired art textile pieces as well as functional textiles
SELF INITIATED PROJECT- March 17th - 22nd April
In the 6 week course we were given the liberty to come up with our own project themes and concepts. After ideating on various potential themes, i decided to work on the concept of body camouflage in an urban setting.
Concept/ Theme
The body represents one's identity and expression and is a medium of communication which is responsive as well as interactive. In this age, where people leading a fast paced life, do not have the time or the patience to soak in the environment, may have a need to merge in with the urban environment in an unobtrusive manner, and thus be intimate with the world outside, observing and being one with it.
I decided to choose a few spaces in the urban environment to depict the same, using multiple textile techniques like shibori- arashi, itajime and cloque, rust dyeing as well as painting on fabric to create 3 patchwork stoles that bring out the essence of the space and help blend in with the setting.
