Project development

 In this blog post i will create four sketches of patterns, that can be useful in the development of my main project creation. I will also talk about the Chinese patterns connecting with their origin and history.

The Chinese patterns had been representing loads of symbolic meanings during the history, being important for the people's lives since from the neolithic tribes to the modern society. The utilization of patterns and colours during the history was quite rigid being some of them exclusively used by some groups of people dividing them in social status, gender, age and occupation. The patterns were used also in daily utensils and ritual wares, clothes and jewelry, they are embodiments of traditional culture and aesthetics

 

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Hongzhi Emperor in Imperial Robe with the 12 Patterns, Painted By Court Artist of the Ming Dynasty — Taipei Palace Museum

Patterns from nature were use since the Neolithic era, because painting patterns of natural elements represented respect and worship to the nature, pray for blessing or as decorations. Those patterns are still frequently used today to represent auspiciousness, promotion, happiness and wealth, etc. (For example clouds, thunders, mountains, water waves and vortex)

Thunder pattern Jade article of the Warring States period (403 BC - 221 BC Shanghai Museum)

Adding to the nature patterns, there were three animal patterns that were used more often from the ancient times until today, the Fish, the Dragon and the Bird. 

the astrological animals and the mythical creatures were present in the patterns, because they believe that every person has a zodiac animal and combined with the yin-yang and five elements theory, all the symbols and their mansion can assign a auspicious animal do guard.

Eaves tiles of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD) Shanghai Museum

The civilians used to use more animals as traditional Chinese patterns, there were used to represent a range of meanings like as example, longevity and high-ranking officials. 

Last but not least, the Flora an important section in traditional Chinese patterns, including beautiful flowers that are used to represent 12 months in the Chinese Calendar, plants with auspicious pronunciations or meanings, and continuously twined branches and flowers that symbolize endless happiness and prosperity.

Grass Pattern of Tang Dynasty or Tang Cao Wen

Tang Cao and Peony Patterns on Brocade of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) — Tokyo National Museum

In Buddhism and Taoism, magical utinsils used in practices are very important for the Chinse patterns, in the image below is possible to see an Eight Auspicious Pattern or Ba Ji Xiang Patterns on Doucai Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912), Photo from Official Site of National Museum of china

They used to combine all the different patterns based on meanings and pronunciations to create a new lucky picture as example the patterns of dragons, waves and mountains together symbolize solid reigns

Composed patterns of dragons, mountains, and waves on Imperial Fabric of the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644), Photo from Xiefangzhuren Dong Jin.

Porcelain Bowl of the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644) with Patterns of Sparrow, Deer, Bee, and Monkey, Whose Pronunciations Homophonicly Represent Nobility and Wealth — Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Reference

Chinese F 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.chinafetching.com/chinese-pattern> [Accessed 10 August 2021].

After this research and being helpful for my understanding how the patterns work, i will post in here 4 experimentations of basic patterns that i will create and probably use in my project.  

Sketch 1 - 

Sketch 2 -

Sketch 3 -

Sketch 4 - 

Considering my work in the real work

 What influence could your project have in the real world?

My project can influence the real world by bringing back the ancient Chinese traditional clothing and show how the history can influence it.

Will your project show a point of view or show something that might make the people think differently?

In my project i will try modernize traditional Chinese clothing giving always my perspective and it can make people think differently

How else does your work have influence? 

It have influence because the clothes reflected traditional Chinese aesthetics, philosophy, and social values as they changed through over years and years of history.

Why is it important?

Because traditional clothing plays an important role in the country's history and culture.

Image Reference

traditionalwushu.com. 2021. Chinese Martial Arts Foshan Wing Chun, Shaolin Seven Star Mantis, Taijiquan. [online] Available at: <https://traditionalwushu.com/> [Accessed 10 August 2021].

Project ideas & plan

Project research

In this post i will talk a little bit about the Ming Dynasty clothing fashion.

According to the Ming History, Zhu Yuanzhang (that was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1368 to 1398.) paid great attention to Ming Dynasty clothes. He had asked for the return of Ming Dynasty clothing to the Han Dynasty ( it was the second imperial dynasty of China) , but not exactly the same as the traditional Chinese clothing.

the clothing fashion of Ming Dynasty is classified as Hanfu, there are some differences from the ancient Chinese clothing.

There are many new changes in Ming Dynasty clothes, the most prominent feature being the replacement of the thousands of years old ribbon knots with buttons on the front lapels. The buttons are also more decorative in shape and color.

The second is the application of the pattern to the official uniform, which becomes an important marker for identifying the rank of an official. 

Ming Dynasty clothes were extensively influenced by Cheng–Zhu school (The Cheng–Zhu school, is one of the major philosophical schools of Neo-Confucianism) and featured a variety of patterns on clothing. Animals, plants, and even geometric patterns were recurring patterns on Ming Dynasty clothing.

The change in clothing fashion is due to advances in fabric and dyeing techniques. The fabrics produced, provided a constant supply of raw materials for the production of clothing throughout the Ming Dynasty.

In terms of the research value of ancient Chinese costume history, the Ming is an unavoidable object of discussion when it comes to understanding ancient Chinese clothing.

Artist Research

 On this blog post about an Artist research i am going to talk about Guo Pei.

She is Chinese Fashion Designer, who i have as one of my references for my major project and since i heard from her. The pieces that she makes are really unique and really impresses me. 

Guo’s aesthetic, one observer of Chinese fashion notes, expresses “a visually deprived nation’s pent-up longing for imperial grandeur.” Photograph by Pari Dukovic for The New Yorker

The reason i chose Guo Pei is because of the new life that she gives to embroidery and the painting traditions of the Chinese culture, mixing it and incorporating the contemporary Western style.

Guo Pei style is all about the fabrics, shapes and textures by transmitting a message inspired in fairy tales, legends and military histories. "They tell the stories which paintings and embroidery have conveyed throughout the centuries." (Bio — Guo Pei, 2021) This is research was very important for the develop of my project due the history about the Ancient Chinese fashion that i want to transmit and explore.

“Guo is trying to reinvent Imperial style. But there’s a gap of a century in Chinese history, and her patterns, colors, and techniques have all been improvised in a vacuum.” (Nast, 2021)

This dress was inspired by Singapore's Peranakan culture and traditional costumes with a incorporation of contemporary elements. It is possible to see that the technique used in this dress was the traditional embroidery. After researching about it i got to know that this dress took five years to completion, it is all hand sewn with gold thread in-laid with precious metal. Guo pei used about 30 techniques of stiches.

The pattern used on this wedding dress shows an intricate details including the use of "Double Fish"(Explanation of the pattern symbology on another blog post) 

The pattern detail includes the image of the Dragon and Phoenix which represents the undisputed “match made in heaven” in Chinese culture and mythology. (Sotheby's to Auction Guo Pei's Gold Chinese Traditional Bridal Dress | Tom + Lorenzo, 2021)

References

Guo Pei. 2021. Bio — Guo Pei. [online] Available at: <https://www.guopei.com/bio> [Accessed 10 August 2021].

Nast, C., 2021. China’s Homegrown High-Fashion Designer. [online] The New Yorker. Available at: <https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/03/21/guo-pei-chinas-homegrown-high-fashion-designer> [Accessed 10 August 2021].

Tom + Lorenzo. 2021. Sotheby's to Auction Guo Pei's Gold Chinese Traditional Bridal Dress | Tom + Lorenzo. [online] Available at: <https://tomandlorenzo.com/2019/10/sothebys-to-auction-guo-peis-gold-chinese-traditional-bridal-dress/> [Accessed 11 August 2021].

SMART objectives

For this term, i will do a 6 piece fashion collection and create a final fashion portfolio with it. 

The intention it is to give a new life and explore a new preception of the ancient and traditional Chinese clothing, giving a modern detail. 

The target audience will be all the women for every ages, the objective it’s to combine the old with the new and not separate it. 

I hate Art

 For this blog i had to think very seriously about what can i say that i do not like in Art.

Art is conceptual, i can understand that i do not like some pieces of an Artwork but it is impossible to say that i hate it because it is work and a lot of thinking involved.

There was a situation that really upset me about that was the banana that the artist Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped in a museum. I understand all the meaning and i can respect but i think it is stupid the value of this 'piece' of art had for people can buy it. I do not consider this Art and i can't understand the hype this had.

$120,000 banana stuck to the wall at Art Basel in Miami. 

Francisco de Goya

 Francisco de Goya was a Spanish Artist that i already heard a lot in my previous lessons in Portugal about Art History. Goya was an artist known due of his paintings and printmakers between the late of 18th and early of the 19th century, being one of earliest of the modern artists, his works reflected and created agitation in important later artists influencing their artworks.

The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid, or “The Executions,” oil on canvas by Francisco Goya, 1814; in the Prado, Madrid

Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) is one of the haunting “Black Paintings” artist Francisco Goya created during the later years of his life. This painting it is one of my favorites because have a massive power to shock due his creation of a painting so disturbing as this one. It is possible to see that he was struggling with depression being in isolation of his studio creating this type of macabre masterpieces. 

'Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat)' in The Prado Madrid, Spain

Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francisco-Goya/The-Napoleonic-invasion-and-period-after-the-restoration

The Fantastic Five

The theme i chose was Orientalism and here i will post my initial ideas to develop later.

Idea 1

Explore Oriental patterns, namely Chinese patterns and develop to use in a Fashion portfolio as photos edited by me

Idea 2

Explore the same patterns and the potencial they have to realize a collection of 6 pieces made by drawings and digital

Idea 3

Explore Geisha history and dress code with the intention of developing my own collection based on that but with a modern way of view.

Idea 4 

Explore the ideology of the traditional Chinese fan and create a Fashion portfolio based on photos edited by me

Idea 5

After explore all the concepts to choose which idea i will develop, i can put all my knowledge together and create a Fashion portfolio based on traditional Chinese Art, since from porcelain to traditional fashion.

Moodboard created by me on Milanote to brainstorm my ideas

Welcome To Art Portfolio 2

 Welcome post to Art portfolio 2.

In this term, i want to challenge myself and try to do different works like leave my conforte zone. I am positive and motivated for what is coming and develop what i already know to a new level.

During this weeks of break, i decided explore the embroidery technique as something that i never had done before, i found an Artist that caught my attention and made me try it in a very beginning level.

Ana Teresa Barboza is a Textile artist from Peru, that push the boundaries of embroidery. 

"Three-dimensional textile art that depicts natural forms such as plant life and landscapes"

Here below, I am going to post my favorite art work from her.

Embroidery and transfer on fabric, 5 pieces of 32 x 45cm each (2008)

Source: Ana Teresa Barboza