On May 15 I visited the Fowler Museum to see
Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram. The exhibit is actually a showcase of two different sets of Sundaram's works.
Gagawaka consists of pieces made from garments created using recycled materials and medical supplies as a viewpoint on fashion.
Postmortem, on the other hand, consists of mannequins to portray the human body in unique ways.
The author at the exhibit
One of the Gagawaka pieces I found particularly interesting is called Floater. The garment is made of inflatable plastics and Lycra orthopedic supports. It resembles a flotation device one might find in an airplane or on a boat. To most people, these everyday objects would not be perceived as pieces that can be assembled into clothing; but Sundaram does just that. By incorporating surgical pieces, he addresses the division often associated with beauty and illness. In Floater, pieces from both worlds can come together to make a single work that satisfies characteristics of both.
Floater
In
Postmortem, one piece that stood out to me is
Triangular Shelf . It is made of mannequins, fiberglass body organs/anatomy samples, paint, and wood. This somewhat disturbing work addresses the fragility of the human body and how easily it can be cast away. In a world increasingly dominated by material goods, Sundaram invites us to look closer and consider the human effort and sacrifice that goes behind our desires.
Triangular Shelf
In
Making Strange, Sundaram's works serve as examples of a trend that many other modern artists that involves addressing issues such as life and death, pain and pleasure, as well as beauty and illness. By incorporating everyday materials in new ways he and other artists are helping us take not and understand the issues at hand.
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