“When designers think about climate change and what it might look like, they have a tendency to reduce it to one of two things: plants or disaster,” observes New York Times reporter Vanessa Friedman (See “The Climate Crisis Crowds the Catwalk,” Sept. 26, 2019.)
Fourteen artist/exhibitors at the upcoming Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show (October 3-5, 2019) offer an elegant alternative: stunningly beautiful wearable art crafted with environmental attentiveness. Each artist is vying for the Honoring the Future® Sustainability Award, recognizing art which “educates the public about climate change or inspires or models a sustainable response to climate change.”
Lynn Reintsema
Veronica Braslavsky
Christina Goodman
Pat Palson & Molly Penner
Cynthia Chuang & Ehr-Ping Tsai
Francesca Vitali
Sharon London
Mary Jaeger
Janice Kissinger
Betsy Giberson
Amy Nguyen
Alison Kelly
Yoshiko Komatsu
Holly Anne Mitchell
Veronica Braslavsky expresses the common theme: “My goal is to harness nature’s power to create the unique, best performing, comfortable apparel in the most responsible way – a one-of-a-kind piece of art forever.”
Several of the artists use discards as raw materials. Janice Kissinger repurposes saris. “I acquire them torn, stained and well-loved,” she notes. “I love the design challenges and problem-solving that comes with using recycled silk.” Yoshiko Komatsu rescues rare antique Japanese kimono fabrics from extinction. Mary Jaeger transforms worn-out men’s cotton tailored shirts into “one-of-a-kind, non-gender shirts and jackets that are fresh and desirable again.”
“We have almost empty trash cans!” proclaims Lynn Reintsema, who regards the challenge of waste minimization as integral to the creative process. Sharon London agrees. She offers garments custom-made from sustainable fabrics “in a ‘zero waste’ studio powered by the sun.” Betsy Giberson finds strength, as well as challenge, in adhering to zero waste: “My studio has evolved into what I describe as Mindful Efficiency. I pay attention. It’s not about shortcuts. It’s about wise choices.”
These artists challenge the “one season” focus of fast fashion. Amy Nguyen affirms, “In this fast moving world, we push back against faster and cheaper… We seek for sustainability to be the norm, a daily practice for individuals and businesses alike.” Pat Palson and Molly Penner concur. “Our work is built to last,” they note. “We routinely see 30-year old jackets returning to our shows, the timeless, durable styles looking as stunning as ever.”
The artists also invite us to reexamine what we value. Holly Anne Mitchell explains: “I believe my recycled newspaper jewelry challenges people to take a second look at common, everyday materials they use and discard. I consider newspaper to be as strong (if not stronger) a jewelry medium as traditional ‘precious’ materials such as gold, platinum and gemstones.” And Francesca Vitali, who molds cast-off paper into jewelry, adds: “I try to spark a different way to look at it – not any longer like something meant to be discarded, but rather the keeper of our life memories.”
Respect for nature is a recurring theme. Alison Kelly literally “paints with botanicals,” using plants and flowers as dyes, transferring their literal imprints to fabric. Cynthia Chuang and Ehr-Ping Tsai design eco-art jewelry depicting “beautiful creatures that maintain the circle of life” to inspire progress toward “sustainable coexistence.” And Christina Goodman explains: “I place birds, bees, plants and animals (some of them threatened or extinct) as the focal point of my miniature paintings to wear. I hope to foster a connection with the small, beautiful and often vulnerable elements of the natural world.”
At the Craft2Wear Show’s Preview Night (October 3, 6:00-9:00 pm), Jane Milosch, Director of the Smithsonian Provenance Research Initiative, will select the award recipient.
The Sustainability Award is a partnership between Honoring the Future and the Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show. Smithsonian Craft2Wear is a curated show and sale of the highest quality American-made wearable art. Proceeds support education, research and conservation grants to the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo.
This year’s show will be held October 3-6, 2019 at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. N.W. (Judiciary Square metro station) in Washington, D.C. The show will feature the work of 70 artists, including the 14 award applicants.
