A Fool’s Paradise, 2024, Alumnium, Tin, Leather, Wigs
“We allow ourselves to become a single point of view…
Our point of view, as an imaginary camera… We are invisible, anonymous intruders. We look. We listen. We note odors. But we are not physically present in the place, and we leave behind no traces. We follow the same rules, so to speak, as orthodox time travelers. We observe but we do not intervene.”
---Haruki Murakami, After Dark
Continuing my previous interest in crafting armor, I decided to utilize aluminum and tin for their suitable weight. Exclusively employing cold metalworking techniques, aluminum and tin were worked with. Additionally, the structural design of ancient European armors was studied, and leather belts were incorporated for assembling the pieces.
A giant cone covers half of the torso, minimizing vision to a tiny circular opening. Sharp arrows are attached around the opening, preventing others from looking inside and revealing the wearer's identity. It serves as a defense mechanism, creating a private and inaccessible space within the armor. The large metal ruffle draws inspiration from 16th and 17th-century ruffled collars worn by the upper class to emphasize individual uniqueness and social status.
I've developed an interest in fashion philosophy, particularly contemplating the boundaries between clothing and the body, as well as the space created by apparel between the body and garments—the relationship of inside and outside, the covering and revealing of body parts. In this piece, the wearer's identity is obscured, and the body is mostly concealed within the armor. An opening is left at the lower body beneath the ruffle, exposing the buttocks and legs, allowing freedom without the restriction of identity being revealed.
