The V&A Museum, London

Unfortunately I was unable to take not of pictures or drawings from they exhibition. 

During my visit to London I went to the V&A Museum for research and inspiration based on the artwork and interesting artefacts. During my time here I went to a popular exhibition; 'Undressed,' that was showing the evolution of underwear from the 18th century to today. Over 200 examples of underwear for men and women highlight the themes of innovation and luxury from custom hand made to designer pieces by Stella McCartney, La Perla, Rigby and Peller and Paul Smith. This exhibition explored the ways fashion in underwear showed the notions of an ideal body and how cut, fit, fabric and decoration can reveal issues in gender, sex and morality. 

I found the most interesting aspects of the exhibition for me included; how the body shape changes due to the tight whale bone corsets worn throughout the 18th and 19th century. They were considered an undergarment that was a necessity rather then an addition to slim the body. After time the corsets would bend the ribs inwards and cause issues with breathing and circulation. There was even a story about an actress who died on stage due to the tightness of her corset. 

This exhibition has certainly inspired me to think more deeply about colours and decoration in fashion and makeup to convey different meanings, and different time periods. 

This is the exhibition ticket:

This is a section taken from the museum map to show the areas I visited: 

Extract from a newspaper about the exhibition:

Margate

A beautiful gift of sunflowers given to me by my mum

Whilst on a visit to dreamland we enjoyed getting semi permeant tattoos  

The Margate History Museum

This is an image of one of the posters shown in the Museum that would have been up during the time of the first World War. I had to show this image because the message portrayed shocked me. It is persuading women of this time to encourage their husbands to join the army, to feel unloved by them if they don't join, and to believe that serving your county was also serving you. I do believe to be a part of the army is a noble course in which to protect our country, but I also believe this must be a decision made only by the participant. To 'get in the heads' of the women is a sick way to encourage killing and death, as many of the service men did not come home. 

Margate, The Turner Contemporary and other museums

For part of my research and inspiration over the summer I aim to visit a variety of museums for me to develop more of an understanding of art and how it contributes to the makeup and fashion world. I have already learned about how architecture and art can bring to life ideas and design topics for new fashion and makeup looks, mostly for avant garde designs. Now I am exploring other ways the two concepts can be merged  below are some images from my time at the Turner Contemporary Museum.

Yank Shonibare MBE, 

Tue 22 March - Sun 30 October 2016

This collection of covered books is the first thing you see when entering the museum, it is a very large collection full of colour and beautiful patterns, this is a strong piece that catches the eye immediately. 

This collection is part of the '14-18 NOW' programme of a World War 1 Centenary Art commission. Shonibare's powerful work explores themes of conflict, empire and migration in the centenary year of The Battle of the Somme, shown at the Turner Contemporary against the dramatic backdrop of the north sea. 

The books shown in the library in the gallery are questioning how immigration had contributed to the British culture that we live in. The shelves of books are covered in colourful wax fabric with the names of immigrants who have enriched British History on the spines. Such names as; T.S. Eliot, Hans Holbein and Zaha Hadid. 

End Of Empire 

This is another piece of work by the same collaboration of artists featuring two figures dressed in the same signature patterned fabrics, with globe heads highlighting the countries involved in the first World War. Seated on a Victorian see-saw, the entire work slowly pivots in the gallery space offering a metaphor; balance and conflict, while symbolising the possibility of the compromise and resolution between two opposing sides.   

This piece of art is one in a collection of lino prints by Jessica Grenlund. They show the inside of parts of the human body. This one above is an abstract image of the heart and all the veins and arteries attactched, and those going to and from it. I particularly admit the precise cuts in the lino print that give the overall image dept and proportion, there is a lot of detail close up and must have taken a long time to create.  

Born to Die, 2016

Medicine pots containing sugar

Created by Kayleigh Baker

This interesting piece combines art and psychiatry, according to the samaritans suicide statistics 4,882 individuals committed suicide in England in 2014. Kayleigh looked at the amount of prescribed medicine for people who are suffering from mental illness and often have suicidal thoughts, and looks to find another way to hep these people. In this art work she is trying to portray the message of 'could medicine be art, and therefore art be medicine?'    

This is piece that decorates the stairs of the small gallery, they are small balls of perfectly placed sunglasses. Each ball is made up of a different type of sunglass some inside out or shaped to fit and others neatly glued together, each a bright colour. There was nothing to read about this art work, but was simple and exciting to look at, each may have been the idea or concept behind the creation. 

 

I bought this Dazed and Confused fashion magazine whilst in the museum shop.

Turner, the only Turner painting shown in the Tuner Contemporary; a puzzling name for a Museum that only has one of his designs. But this museum was given its name due to the amount of times Turner came to Margate to create many of is paintings.  

These two paintings above caught my eye whilst in the museum, as although they are not my idea of a beautiful or impressive painting, they grew on me. As I moved further away from these paintings the picture became clearer and the colours separated to reveal a more interesting design; this image is 'Eclipse of the sunflower' 1945, by Paul Nash, oil on canvas. I have love for sunflowers and so this design is appealing to me on another level that the artists one. 

These two images are postcards bought in the shop, the main concept behind many of the artworks shown was 'seeing round 

corners.' 

Unable to take pictures, I visited the Margate museum of its history and an open art show in a local Margate gallery. 

Below shows two leaflets I was able to obtain. 

The Making of: Lauren's screen test imitation of Baby Jane Holzer, Andy Warhol

Screen test, Lauren, Baby Jane Holzer imitation, 15 second clip:

Below are the videos and pictures taken from my practice and real thing of my imitation screen test, starring Lauren. I found it hard to direct Lauren to do the same movements and natural looks as Baby Jane did in her screen test. Jane shows a very natural laugh and smile half way during her screen test and I tried to recreate this with Lauren by making her laugh and smile at the right time. I had the moments and makeup and hair look planned so this made it easy for me to execute the idea and design on the day. One of the most difficult elements to this screen test was controlling the tooth paste, as Lauren was brushing her teeth and had to go over the same movements the paste would run out of her mouth or there would be not enough froth around her mouth. To solve this, we had to go over the same movements and video the same sections to get a close imitation of the original video without it being exactly the same.   

I was able to silence the clip so there was no sound, I was also able to make it look an old fashioned black and white, it wasn't exactly the same as the colouring from the original clip. But I was unable to make it look anymore similar to the professional cameras used in Baby Jane's screen test, as I was using my phone and the lighting I had in the room.  

Hair and Make-up, What I used:

• Foundation palette, Kryolan  
• Translucent powder, Rimmel 
• Glamour glow palette, kryolan
• Perfect lines eye liner, Rimmel 
• Mascara, Rimmel
• Eye brow contour, Rimmel  
• Straighteners 
• Hairspray
• fine toothed comb 
• large brush 
• clips and hair grips

  

Baby Jane Holzer mood-board

Hair and Makeup Mood-board showing the design I want to create based on Baby Jane Holzer's screen test. 

I have selected some images from Pinterest that show my idea process. I have chosen to follow the same hair and makeup practices that Baby Jane would have used in her every and fashion 60's look. This will consist of large backcombed hair that falls on one side of her face, and is smooth and sleek to look at but firm and bouncy to feel. I will also use 60's makeup techniques such as using black eye liner on the top lid and top creese to make the eyes 'pop' and accentuate their size. I will lightly colour the eye brows and keep the skin smooth and bright, I will also use a soft pink colour on the lips with lip gloss to keep a natural appearance.