What is multi-localism and when fashion becomes art?
This post is also available in: Bulgarian French
Multi-localism. Sometimes fashion turns into pure art for telling stories.
STATIONS is the third conceptual project of a part of the authors at Ivan Asen 22 platform. A project where designers turn fashion and garment into art.
An exhibition and story I felt close to even before I saw it.
What is actually multi-localism?
I have to admit, before I started writing this story, I did not have precise answer to the question.
Now I can define it as the totality of places where we feel like locals, which are close to us and create a sense of home, of belonging.
Interesting part: these places may not even match the place where we were born, grew up, spent much of our lives. In fact, the time spent in there does not matter. (In fact, with all the trips and experiences, I have felt a lot more at home in a couple of cities than in my home town Sofia: The two months I lived in Nantes, the month in Lille, those 10 days in Melbourne or even numerous short stays in Paris or Milan …)
There is an easy test to find out those places that have shaped us as personalities. According to Taiye Selasi it is based on three words: rituals, relationships and restrictions.
Rituals are those little everyday gestures we acquire living in a place: drinking coffee before work, taking off our shoes before entering the house, greeting with a kiss on the cheek, etc.
Relationships – these are the people we feel connected with, even when we are no longer in the specific place and when we have not seen them for years. (I have a friend from my studies that I see once in a few years and it feels like if we last saw each other the day before.)
Restrictions – that is, where we have the right to be local, where our passport is accepted or rejected. This includes all restrictions related to racism, sexism, religious and other prejudices.
STATIONS is an exhibition that, through fashion, addresses these aspects. What is it like to live in different places around the world, how we travel and create a home wherever we are. The garment is also seen as a home and a shelter, as well as a means of self-expression.
You can see this unique project at the SAMSI-Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art until December 9, 2017.
Photos: Martina Todorova
PS: Did you notice my multi-local outfit: skirt by young Bulgarian designer, french bag, scarf brought by my sis from China and American Stance socks ! 🙂
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