Repeat Exhibit

6a00e5508e95a988330133f372f524970b-640wi.jpg

>> I'm not ENTIRELY sure why when this original retrospective of Hussein Chalayan's work from 1994-2009 at London's Design Museum was never blogged about here.  I'm scratching my head even more seeing as the exhibition was also media-partnered by Dazed & Confused, where I was working at the time.  Was I somehow put off by the mountains of positive praise the exhibition got and thus didn't think me and my blog chirping in was going to add anything useful or insightful?

As I ponder what happened to my responsible posting antics during the period of January and May 2009, I'm instead going to be INCREDIBLY belated by posting these pics that I took at the Istanbul Modern where the exhibition is currently touring and has also been updated with additions of some of his 2010 collections.  I guess I still have nothing interesting to say about the exhibition in 2010 as my muted self in 2009, other than to echo what everyone else has said.  What I will say though is that given the bigger space of the Istanbul Modern, Donna Loveday's curation of the exhibition seems even more effective, especially when it comes to the video projections of Chalayan's various film projects that he has accumulated throughout the years.  The choice of mannequins that have an almost-eerie expression and liveliness to their faces all bring the extraordinary clothes to life as opposed to the alternative of the normal headless dummies that could have made Chalayan's creations look cold and sterile.  And oh dear… here we go… review mode… this is of course NOT new for those that did make it to the Design Museum but somehow, reliving it the second time in the hustle of Istanbul, a ground closer to Chalyan's Turkish-Cypriot roots, enhanced the overall impact of the exhibition.  Plus, this is blogpost atonement here.

Ah I just remembered…. I had a duff SD card that deleted my pics of the exhibition… DOUBLE DOH!

Blindscape S/S 05

DSC_3037

Inertia S/S 09

DSC_3041 DSC_3044

Ambimorphous A/W 02

DSC_3049

DSC_3053

Airmail Dress 1999

DSC_3052

Panoramic A/W 1998

DSC_3055

DSC_3056

Manifest Destiny S/S 03

DSC_3057
Place to Passage 2003

DSC_3060

DSC_3068

After Words A/W 2000

DSC_3061

DSC_3062

DSC_3063

Kinship Journeys A/W 03

DSC_3029

Temporal Meditations S/S 04

DSC_3071

DSC_3073

Airborne A/W 07

DSC_3084

DSC_3085

DSC_3083

DSC_3082

21 comments

  2. Chalayan’s work is really amazing and, in my opinion, he is one of the very few true innovators in design. I watched a show where the clothing morphed into a different piece and as sci-fi as it may seem the piece still looked wearable. Anywho I really like the mannequins used in the pics, they definitely add to the overall aesthetic.
    NaughtyBaubles
    NaughtyBaubles on Etsy

  3. I don’t really like the faces, but i love the installations.
    I revere Chalayan so much! He puts so much thought into his works… I think we don’t even understand all of what he’s saying with his clothes. That Ambimorphous (now I know it had a name, too) collection was a favourite of mine!
    xo
    Agnes
    (I’d be happy if you came and visited my blog at http://iiiinspired.blogspot.com/ )

  4. I reallllly want to go, I’ve been his fan since 1998! Is his wooden coffee table skirt included in the exhibition?

  7. I saw this when it was at the Design museum, it was pretty amazing and quite the show. The mannequins are a little creepy but I think it really adds to the clothes like you said. Chalayan never does things by halves, so why should the mannequins be left out? I couldn’t get a great picture of the LED dress with my shoddy camera, but it looks great here!

  9. Hussein Chalayan is such a visionary! His works always speaks volumes about what is happening in the world today and what he is thinking about. I really like the mannequins with their eyes closed, looking so at peace with the surroundings and the installation with the mannequins painting the wall, but getting darker and darker, as though they are stained in the process.

  15. I have always admired the work of Hussein Chalayan and I have been lucky enough to meet him inthe flesh. A very intense, deep-thinking character. Real substance behind his designs

  17. One of the few designers who are truly innovative. I’ve been looking around to see if this show will ever pop up anywhere in the US! Anyone know???

  19. adorable!! love it
    check out my fashion blog at thetalesofselfindulgence.blogspot.com
    the new post is updated today!! DOMT MISS xoxo… if you fancy it pls follow via bloglovin or google:-)

Comments are closed.