UAL Final Major Project progress update

I'm currently working on my Final Major Project (FMP) which will determine my final grade for my Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at University of the Arts London, London College of Communication. 

For my FMP I am tackling the use of animal skin/fur within fashion through an installation/sculptural piece. I hope to achieve this through the element of shock in order to provoke a reaction from the public. I will exhibit the cruel living conditions of the animals who are slaughtered, along with the inhumane methods which are used to extract skin and fur. The shock factor, will be that I will reverse the prey-predator roles, by using 'human' skin to create garments - not just human skin, but babies. This way I hope to create an emotional response from the spectators.

I began this task by thoroughly understanding the process in extracting skin/fur for clothing, and also researching current anti-animal abuse campaigns and charities, including PETA and the Lush Cosmetics campaign. I believe that my FMP idea has been highly influenced and inspired by the Lush Cosmetics Campaign the most, due to it's shock factor and harsh truth (pictured below).

Lush Cosmetics Campaign

I have also been inspired by Gigi Barker, an ex student from University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins. Barker created furniture inspired by human skin. I will also be attending the Alexander McQueen exhibition on the 30th March 2015, at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Gigi Barker

My initial overall design idea

I am currently creating an artificial scene of the babies skin being used to create garments. I may also create posters/billboards which juxtaposition the horrific scene, promoting the purchase of these garments; thus I will most likely be using letterpress, photography and reprographics, or hand rendered illustrations. I also visited a local hospital and noted all of the items that I typically found when looking around - I may also include these within my installation. Such items included: Hand sanitiser, a fan, bottle of water, a phone, blood pressure machine, test tubes, swabs, tissues, blue gloves etc.

I have used rubber/silicone squares which are used for tattoo practise, as other than real animal skin it's the closest thing to human skin, to create the base of my garment following my design sketches, pattern pieces and prototypes.

My Final Design idea, inspired by Jean Paul Gautier and Mugler Autumn/winter 2015-16

Prototype of one of my design ideas

Experimenting with colours , materials and textures on the
rubber/silicone squares. Tissue, liquid latex,  red and brown acrylic paint
(all applied directly to the silicone) worked best. I would then pull and rip at the latex
and tissue before it's completely dry, in order to create rips and holes in the 'raw skin'.
A large brush with a small amount of dark brown paint stippled over texture worked best,
and then when there is almost nothing on the brush, large swiping motions across the wrinkles
of the tissue. A small brush with a larger amount of Brilliant Red was then used to dab over all of the
edges to make them appear bloodied and raw. 

Front of the top of the dress. Created using the silicone squares and safety pins. 

The back.

Adding the texture

After adding the liquid latex, tissue and paint. (Front)

Back.

Adding the bottom of the dress. The process is exactly
the same as before.

The dress after all of the texture and paint has been added.
Also the top and bottom has been attached.

Liquid latex applied directly to a flat surface, left the dry, and
then peeled off. This has been used for the bottom of the dress

I have also used dolls which have been covered with tissue, liquid latex and paint, in order to create a textured, ripped skin effect, so that these 'babies' can be discarded beneath the dress to appear as though they have been abused, kept in poor living conditions, and have ultimately been used for their skin in order to create a piece of fashion.

I am considering using a table covered with bloodied medical tools etc. to further enhance the brutality of this act, as this was my initial design idea, however I am now questioning this as I do not want to over-work the piece, and remove the main focus and idea - which of course are the babies'  skin being used to create fashion pieces. This is the same for the posters. I'm not sure if I will actually include these in the final outcome as I do not think that it's the sole focus of the overall design. 

Inspiration: Lush Cosmetics Campaign.

Currently this is what my piece looks like. I will continue working on this until my deadline of 13th April 2015. I hope to stain the bottom of the dress (which is pure liquid latex, set with talc powder) with 'blood'. I have tried different methods and the best, and most long lasting will be to dilute acrylic paint (red and blue) with water, mix, and then submerge the latex fabric into the mixture. This stains the material and the creases create an uneven coverage. I may also add splats and drips of blood. I will play around with the additional elements, such as adding a contrasting poster, the table with medical tools and also a textured abstract piece in the background (created with card, t-shirts, acrylic paint, and textured with pallet knives etc.). I hope that my final installation/sculpture can be displayed in a dark room during the exhibition, and there will be faint green lights to give an eerie atmosphere, as well as a voice-recorded montage of babies crying, to further trigger and emotional response from the audience.

Liquid latex, tissue, acrylic paint, talc powder, water, cotton wool, cotton fabric (old t-shirts)
cardboard, bin bag filled with shredded paper with dolls falling out (stuffed bag gives
the suggestion that it's full of more babies), metal cage.