The artist Carolin J√∂rg wants to break down the representation of fashion. In her series of illustrations and videos ‘Jalouse’, the perfect advertising campaigns from magazines are re-interpretated as naive, almost sloppy Indian ink illustrations. We flick through those ads, coveting, wanting and desiring those perfect images but deep down, we are coveting, wanting and desiring what those objects mean. Those Prada shoes. That Chloe bag. Not just the aesthetic appeal of them but the way they make us feel.
Inspired by J√∂rg’s scholarship stay at the Ecole Sup√©rieure Beaux Art in Paris and seeing fashion as something that transcends just being clothes you wear. It’s the presentation of fashion as something beyond glamour and glossyness as the ads dictate but what they mean beyond that, hence why the illustrations are very haphazardly and naively executed. This Jalouse exhibition is being shown at Flur, an independent exhibition space in Heidelberg, Germany. I must admit, it’s not a place I’m familiar with but for those that are in the vicinity, it must be wonderful to stumble in and find this thought provoking discourse on fashion.
I must confess, hypothesised art like this is lost on me. Which is a complete failing on my part and not the artist’s, but it all just seems so post rationalised to me. Without the explanation I suspect many would find her message entirely lost and see this exactly as it appears – naive watercolours/ink drawings and nothing more. Perhaps I’m judging harshly simply because I know so many artists who do something they fancy first, and find a meaning later. Maybe I just know some very rogue artists!
Susie, this immediately took me back to a poster I stumbled upon once in Chicago. Thanks for the great post. It helped explain why the poster I came upon had such a profound effect on me. You inspired me to write a post of my own!
flur is actually the private flat of a fellow fashion blogger in heidelberg, germany. she has a wicked fashion blog called f&art and she’s obsessed with latex leggings.
http://fartguide.blogspot.com/
@DJM
I know exactly what you mean! That really was/is my problem when I curated that exhibition. What helps is that it is at my hall and there won’t be many people coming to that place and thoes who come will find me there trying my very best to explain. I first saw carolin’s work at art cologne last autumn and really got caught by it, but I believe that many others didn’t. There’ll also be some video animations which may help understand the meaning of the exhibtion. It definitely is worth a try and I’ll document everything on my blog – http://fartguide.blogspot.com – and flur’s webpage – http://www.mahret.de/flur
woa susie thank you so much for reviewing my exhibition!!! Heidelberg is – http://www.google.de/maps?f=q&hl=de&q=Heidelberg&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=6&ll=49.167339,8.833008&spn=6.565915,20.390625&om=1is – probably the most famous city of Germany and the one with the most visitors (proportional to its inhabitants). It’s perfectly stuck in the middle of Basel and Frankfurt (and closer to Paris than to Berlin actually!) so I hope that some Art Basel visitors will stop at Heidelberg on their way to the fair from Frankfurt Airport – maybe???
♥
M.
Ah yes…I realised after posting, the FLUR space was the lovely Maret’s….
Maret: Apologies my dear! I’m very much clueless about the geography of Germany having only experienced flight stopovers there…. I will take the time to go there properly though and see the lovely work you’ve done with your space!
beautiful – romantises the designs even more.