Galerie
Klara Petra Szabo - Readable clothes
Mode, Peinture
In my recent project I am interested in the topic of mimicry and camouflage. The theory of
camouflage covers the various strategies which are used to achieve it's effect. It is a method of avoid the observation that allows an otherwise visible organism or object to remain undetectable from the surrounding environment through deception. Camouflage is essentially a form of visual mimicry. The mimicry works similar in appearance, behavior, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models. In between camouflage and mimicry is mimesis which carries a wide range of meanings, including: imitation, representation, the act of resembling, the act of expression, and the presentation of the self.
During the Krinzinger Residency Program I started a part series inside the main topic, which is called „readable clothes”. Alison Lurie used first this expression, remind how the costume shows their wearer. I painted models who I am asked to wear a t-shirt with text. Every text is personal and holds a message which is important to the model who is wearing it.
Most of the time the effect is created by copying the surroundings, or through painting the object like it’s surroundings. Throughthe animal’s needs, and the military purpose, for me it is very interesting how the camouflage is working, using the body as a medium. Perhaps the method is not just what we are able to see, but also the behavior. Actually the behavior becomes visible, when people are wearing clothes, we are able to see their style, their mood, or their social status. In this way the clothes become the medium. When these clothes contain texts, the message becomes clear, and direct. In this case the owner want to share with us their phrase.
I painted these pictures in 50 x 65 cm size with watercolor and ecoline. This is the first time when I use big size. My paintings are usually small size, but in this project I changed because of the text. I left the background unpainted because the most important thing what the viewer focuses is the text.