In the CdG Spring 2007 collection RK delivered clothes that were "segmented into fragments and reconnected with in-fills of sheer mesh or delicate overlayers of organza and plastic."(Sarah Mower)
One of Rei Kawakubo's words concerning this collection, "Cubism".
Cubism was about bringing different views of the subject (objects/figures) together in the same picture, thus the paintings appear fragmented and abstracted, which presented a completely new approach to representing reality.
Cubism, was developed during the years 1907-08, by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.
The 2 elements in Cezanne's work, which inspired Braque and Picasso were Geometry and Perspective.
Cezanne often painted L'Estaque, a small village in the South of France. This village was a special place for Cezanne. His mother rented a small house to use as a summer retreat, and it was Cezanne's place of escape (some father issues, I believe).
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| Mont Sainte-Victoire, Paul Cezanne, 1904 |
This is Georges Braque's 'Houses at L'Estaque', painted in 1908, and it is this painting that gave Cubism its name, because someone described the houses as being "cube-like".
GB's 'Viaduct at L'Estaque' also painted 1908.
And, a year later he paints 'Violin and Palette'
Picasso was an avid collector of African masks and sculptures. African artists developed an aesthetic that inspired Braque and Picasso in their development of the Cubist concept, especially in an abstract effect of the human form. African carvers often combined several features of the subject, so that they could be simultaneously viewed, nor were they concerned with ideals of beauty or with rendering nature to a close reality, the way Western art was.
The two faces on the right side of 'Les Demoiselles..' were influenced by African masks.
Picasso is recorded as saying 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' was his "first work of exorcism".
This is an interesting link regard the influence of African art on Picasso, mainly via some of the videos presented, especially the young woman who delivers the first one.
Just going to slip in the glorious masks my students put together for our 'Africa Fashion Show', held a few years ago now. (They look like they are behind a chain link fence, because I am having issues with free collage maker, grrr!)
And this is me working with one, and do you know, the dress I am wearing is 2 tee shirts, one right way up, and one, wrong way up, with a belt hiding the fact. Comes out of my Africa blog from 2018.
A later work of Braque, 'Petit Oiseau', 1913
and Picasso, 'Seated Man', 1915-16
From 1907 through to 1914, Braque and Picasso were "inseparable" in pursuit of their cubist movement,
an attraction of opposites...
tall short
reserved egotistical
systematic outspoken
one woman many women
Some of Picasso's 'many women' were portrayed in cubist style,
and Florida artist, Lynn Mayne brought humour to her allergy suffering in a Picasso inspired tapestry triptych, 'Woman Sneezing, Allergy Eyes, and Woman Sniffling'.
If you want to know more about the artists that highlighted the Cubist movement, check out this link,
In 1911 Sergei Diaghilev formed The Ballets Russes, which consisted of some of the most famous dancers of Imperial Russia, the likes of Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky, to name just two.
One of the company's most extravagant performance was 'Parade', staged by Jean Cocteau. (Diaghilev was very skilled at getting many of the artists, writers and composers of the day to participate in Ballets Russes productions.)
Picasso designed the backdrops and costumes for 'Parade', using the stylistic innovations of what became known as 'Synthetic Cubism'. With this style cubist artists took on a less formal way of painting and sculpting. It was more colourful, sometimes with an innovative use of materials in collage form.
The scenario of 'Parade' was the circus performers trying to attract an audience to watch their performance.
Picasso delivered glorious designs, some being described as "towering, cubist body sculptures"
if, for some reason this video doesn't show, or disappears, it happens, take this link, and scroll down, you'll get snippets of the dance and still enjoy the glorious costumes at work.
This is also a good link.
The V&A Museum held a Ballets Russes exhibition in 2010-2011, and there is some very good information to be gleaned from this site, especially the videos.
https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/diaghilev-and-the-ballet-russes
After seeing Picasso's wonderful sculptural costumes in action,
I think I can connect with my latest works, my 'Amsterdam Buildings Reflected In The Water'. I showed one in my Maths blog, well now here is a 2nd one. Definitely cubes.
There's something in this image, before I cropped it, makes me think of a classic wedding photo...at the church doorway...bride and bridegroom...
Orphic cubism developed out of Synthetic Cubism. Orphic cubism or Orphism worked with a new emphasis on colour to suggest movement and energy.
Franco-Russian Sonia Delaunay and her husband Robert, helped to develop this art movement.
For Sonia,
a textile, fashion and costume designer, it involved a focus on abstraction and bright colours. Sonia loved colour.
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| Rythme, 1938 |
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| Gouache, 1938 |
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| Rythme Couleur, 1964 |
Sonia's art became her fashion.
Her 1911 'Quilt Cover',
is echoed in her 1913 'Simultaneous Dress'.
And, her illustrations for the cover of a 1926 Vogue.
Sonia also designed costumes for the Ballets Russes. In 1918 she designed costumes for the production Cleopatra.
https://www.minniemuse.com/articles/art-of/sonia-delaunay-textiles
In 2015 the Tate Modern held the first UK retrospective of Sonia Delaunay, and it is interesting to note that two designers presented Spring 2015 collections that reflected Sonia Delaunay inspiration.
Aspects of CdG Junya Watanabe's collection were described as "an echoing of Robert and Sonia Delaunay's orphism".
Watanabe worked the collection with leatherette, PVC, perspex and tulle. Aren't they glorious, and such fab helmets!
I feel that the outfit I am wearing today, has a little hint of a Ballets Russes costume,
and I have made one of those cool CdG Junya Watanabe helmets. Hills style. Vinyl and plastic.
Walter van Beirendonck's F/W 2015 collection was inspired by Picasso's cubist work. Aren't they wonderful. The one on the right is my choice.
This is a good presentation of some of the pieces, as each one is well matched with a Picasso work.
The years that followed the beginning of the Cubist movement, and since, have seen many crossovers between art and fashion.
Cubism and Fashion, by Richard Martin,
was published to accompany a 1999 exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Martin wrote, "the culture of Cubism that influenced fashion, just as the culture of Cubism might be said to align it with new ideas in theatre, literature, and eventually, movies...Cubism was a systematic process of seeing."
To see some of the pages from Martin's publication, follow this link
These two feature together in the book
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| Christian Francis Roth Dress 1991 |
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| Pablo Picasso Seated Man 1917 |
Martin writes, "To speak of a "Persistent Cubism'....is to say that it has entered the pictorial vocabulary never to be entirely absent again. we have all become Cubists as a function of living in the Cubist century."
I think Christian Francis Roth must have presented a collection that was Cubist inspired in 1991, as these two garments are the same year. Similar geometry planes.
Yohji Yamamoto's Fall 2018 collection was also inspired by Cubism, but this time it was considered a sartorial take of Le Gouter, painted by Jean Metzinger. This painting was sometimes referred to as 'The Mona Lisa of Cubism'.
https://stillinbelgrade.com/eugenio-recuenco-creates-cubism-inspired-fashion-photographs/
And lastly, my own cubist photographic presentation. Improved the image untold!
sltsltbsigning off.
