Art and Fashion - Essay Example

? Mannequins Surrealism which was a cultural movement is popular for visual artworks that feature elements of surprise. Visual artwork and other artworks were largely affected by surrealism Mannequin has always been used for a long time as sculptural equivalent of fashion model and was largely intended to reflect social, professional as well as aesthetic aspirations. Surrealism included pure representation of the real functioning of the mind (Stark 2010). Surrealists decided to come up with artwork that showed the increasing strength of simulated bodies as marketing tools because they could stimulate consumer’s desire in different ways such as the clothes that she wore (Spiteri 2003). Mannequins such as the Siegel-Vigneau had very seductive with undeniably lifelike bodies significantly contributed to the success of social as well as cultural reconstruction. Surrealists perceived women as in an erotic and decadent disguises who were actually predators in life of men due to their passive sex as well as accessibility which prompts men to be attracted to the female bodies. Female bodies were turned into elements amongst the surrealists because a body could also attract attention and communicating information. A body could reveal some of the most hidden meanings behind its restructuring. Most images were therefore belonged to the repertoire of surrealists although some of them lost their origin in favor of sex appeal. Sexual appeal of a woman’s body was crucial since a woman was considered a sexual object whose life is engrossed exclusively with sexuality (Emanuel 2006). Initially, mannequins were so heavy and were more unrealistic creations which were made of wax and could melt in the summer heat. However the understanding of women psychology led to great imperfections that made mannequins look like real women bodies. It should be noted that surrealism became very prevalent in 1930s particularly to the public where their artwork became the model for international exhibitions. Visual style artwork became dominated the period between 1930 and 1935 by Dali and Magritte. During this period art served a significant purpose as a way of expression that included hallucinatory imagery (Beck 2007). Surrealism came up with visual techniques that incorporated giving ordinary objects their usual meaning so that they could compel to the public. Audience’s empathy would therefore be aroused because of the image characteristics which were more than just ordinary formal organization. 1930s was characterized with stylistic evolution that included a mixture of depictive and the emotional elements which were very necessary in influencing an audience. Mannequins actually reflected fashion models but some of the headless mannequins represented would make someone think that it had been sliced thus representing scene of a brutal war (Stewart 2008). Mannequins were made to fit dress maker’s form thus reverting them to look like shop mannequins. Shop mannequins were however not made to represent any form of personality or lifestyle but simply to show the outline of the garment. This was really amazing because the objects simply drew attention to how they were created rather than the dress they were wearing (Emanuel 2006). Someone would not think much about the garments on the display despite close imitation of the tailor or designer’s dummy. Representation of the mannequin to the clients became very important hence prompting the introduction of heads and limbs to the headless and limbless mannequins. The most appealing mannequins were the ones which were introduced in the 1930s which had movable limbs making them seem as if they were engaging in some activities. Movements of the limbs proved useful in representation of the lifestyle (Thesander 1997). Surrealists greatly incorporated art into life by relating subject and object in their work. The mannequins were greatly designed by artists who made them look like body objects. Mannequins were nicely used to define surrealism since it involves revelation of mysterious elements that accompanies daily material objects. Mannequins were more than objects and were treated also as beings hence making them to stick between objects and beings. Surrealists insisted on the hidden meanings of objects in the way they created, displayed and framed the mannequins. Anyone who sees a mannequin would definitely think of it as a human body. Lots of artistic creativity was involved in the making of a range of mannequins which were also known as being objects according to the surrealists (Stewart 2008). Mannequins involved all the artistic approaches given to art objects which involved deviation of objects from conventional role followed by reconfiguration of the object as per the requirements of desire. In addition to the above steps, a variation of role would finally lead to transformation of an object. A being object also underwent similar processes to become mannequin which makes them appear even better than daily object. The objects actually occupied space and assumed organic shape that made them look like living thing hence making it appear more like an unordinary object (Conley 2013). Line between an object and being was very thin and it is possible to attach the object’s motion with the sculptural frame. Indeed the mysterious impression created by the mannequins unearths a secreted reality. A material form was successfully given to portray some hidden analogy as well as some unimaginable through the use of unique techniques. Mannequins represent more than their immediate data or appearance hence making them work as concretized metaphor. Capability of disintegrating mannequins into different parts is surrealist imagery which portrays the possibility of separating parts of the body without bleeding (Thesander 1997). Fashion and art was really unified during surrealism. Surrealism played a significant role in creating fashion aesthetic during the 1930s where there was involvement of molding of public persona. There was a new kind of relationship between designers and artists or clothing that deeply involved commitment with the mysterious. There was also an expression of sexuality during the surrealism movements where fashion was related to sexuality. Mannequins such as the ones dressed by Salvador Dali are amongst the artworks that showed relationship between surrealism and fashion (Stewart 2008). Fashion designers that were linked with surrealism contributed to voices of many women who were associated with surrealism. Fashion was associated with numerous elements such as culture, politics and other personal aspects which could be linked with art. Personal style of women which was regarded as a unique style of art played a significant role in artistic output during the surrealism movement. It was evident that erotica was a vital issue because it sexualized and controlled women’s mind and body which greatly extended Surrealist experiments that involved fetish object (Conley 2013). Women’s fashion is enthusiastically engaging with artistic as well as intelligent movements making an object or article to have a meaning that is more than just physical structure. Emphasis was purely on how garment would appear on the women’s psyche in a better and unique way than before by imagining the appearance of feminine body in fashion. Women were identified with their sexual gaze by the artists in representing fashion. Fashion concentrates more on gender as performance and women project themselves into clothes worn (Thesander 1997). A woman would feel that she has consumed fashion by just seeing the mannequins. Clothes nicely fused with the models and fashion was related with the body which wears it by molding the body. A body would look better in the clothes by just imagining the fashion designer’s objective. According to the designer’s point of view, an object is a body making the objects to have a sensual charge amongst surrealists. Exhibition that was held in Paris featured display of some of the most conspicuous mannequins designed by Robert Couturier in an Arcadian landscape and was inspired by the biomorphic branch of Surrealism (Gledhill & Gillian 1996). It is undeniable that there was a close link between surrealism and fashion during 1930s which were marred by mannequins. Fashion largely interacted with art especially if the work of Cindy Sherman were closely examined which incorporates both legacies for artistic work and that of fashion. It was not easy to differentiate between art and fashion in those days of the movement since they both gave imaginative and visual philosophy of the interwar period. Women artists such as Frida Kahlo and Claude Cahun mostly used fashion as a way of articulating themselves just like they would have used any form of art. Fashion used during 1930s was more than just imposition because it led to transformation, revolution by associating itself with eccentric glamour (Spiteri 2003). It is apparent that great designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli explored matters of sex beyond just gender by creating opportunities for women to view their garments as things which could uphold their sexuality. Dressing amongst women was transformed from the general point of view where people would perhaps dress to express their political will to a style which included a combination of manliness and womanlike in uncanny means. Clothing was worn simply because it would stand out amongst women. In addition, there were elements of fashion primitivism which dominated the clothing design where for instance a hat did not match the clothes but the contrast was so amazing thus giving women ways of expressing exoticism as well as eroticism(Stewart 2008). Mysterious glamour showed that fashion did not only objectify women body but were very provocative because they defied expectations by presenting an unclothed mannequin in the place of a clothed one (Lehmann 2000). Surrealism has ensured strong sexual element in the design by using the naked body which is hidden under garments perhaps because feminine was regarded as a metaphor in the movement. Naked female body was construed to accentuate a female power as well as susceptibility by challenging and avoiding the concealment of violent attack which took place hence letting fashion to link internal subconscious with the physical body. Woman’s desire was transformed into visibly decipherable signs within the realm of fashion which really promoted fetishistic preference (Stark 2010). Surrealists’ role in mannequins may be incomplete without discussing Hans Bellmer who decided to sexualize dolls and mannequins thus turning mannequins into popular artistic work during Surrealism movements. Surrealism is thought to have enabled women to reclaim possession of their body as well as identity through reinvention of their status after childbirth making women to appear as the true practitioners of the movement. It was apparent that an object such as mannequin could trigger an instantaneous responsive to the compelling pull. A feminine body was represented in this movement as shamefaced with erotizing and elevation of the woman’s status to that of an object (Beck 2007). An inspiration in the daily routine and experience of women prompted the need to consider their self-image through collection of daily happenings and transferring them into amazing scenes based on the themes of feminist and sexuality. The art work probed human psyche and was even more provocative compared to other objects done by male artists. Fashioning of the body by surrealists to appeal to the fetish appeared in many disguises (Stewart 2008). Although the female body was mostly sexual based on the fetish, it should be noted that it was such a complex subject which was handled differently by various surrealists. The basis of most female surrealists was the female body which was manipulated in such a way that masculine and feminine desires were utilized to women’s advantage. Female artwork was created intimately in a way that even the male artists could be embarrassed by the artwork and shun away from female artists work (Beck 2007). Generally, fashion mannequins became common to intellectual art and were used by surrealists in promoting modern style of art which was also characterized by female bodies. Stylish images of women played a major role in promoting fashion and also creating fetish objects of consumer culture. The unreal figures created by surrealists integrated well within consumer groups. It is undeniable that mannequins have commented art, fashion and notions of femininity during 1930s (Lehmann 2000). Surrealists in the 1930s were engrossed with mannequins which made the artists to be right on the mark through creation of the phantom objects. Surrealism became a strong force which stirred most of the European countries although it initially triggered massive disagreement (Stark 2010). It was easy to be attracted to the skirts well designed mannequins because of their obsessive female appeal. Since 1930, there is enough evident of transformation of surrealism through removal of political as well as artistic opportunism for it to bear by new elements. Bibliography Beck, Nadine. Discussing the 'uncanny' from Sigmund Freud's essay "Uncanny" in relation to surrealism. Mu?nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2007. Conley, Katharine. Surrealist Ghostliness. Lincoln: UNP – Nebraska, 2013. Emanuel, Michelle. From surrealism to less-exquisite cadavers: Le?o Malet and the volution of the French "roman noir". Amsterdam [u.a.]: Rodopi, 2006. Gledhill, Christine, and Gillian Swanson. Nationalising femininity: culture, sexuality, and British cinema in the Second World War. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1996. Lehmann, Ulrich. Tigersprung: fashion in modernity. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2000. Spiteri, Raymond, and Donald LaCoss. Surrealism, politics, and culture. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003. Stark, Joachim. Elements of Surrealist practices in contemporary visual art: Louise Bourgeois' critical reworking of Surrealism. Mu?nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2010. Stewart, M. Dressing modern Frenchwomen: marketing haute couture, 1919-1939. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. Thesander, Marianne. The feminine ideal. London: Reaktion Books, 1997. Read More