'COSTUME' - EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY, KILKENNY

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                                                      CREATION BY UNA BURKE

‘Costume’ was a magical exhibition I visited at Kilkenny Arts Festival.  This exhibition is at the National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard opposite Kilkenny Castle  and continues until October 16^th 2013.   The visitor arrives at an archway in Castle Yard and through a door to the left is ‘Behind the Scenes’ an exhibition of undergarments created by The Abbey Theatre costume workshop and through a door to the right is ‘Future Fashion’.   Both exhibitions explore fashion, craft and the theatrical, both on stage and on the catwalk. 

 

The Abbey Theatre is Ireland’s National Theatre, and home to the only full time costume workshop in the country.  ‘Behind the Scenes’ shines a light on the undergarment, a hidden but critical part of any costume.  The Abbey Theatre recreated a range of undergarments for this exhibition alongside original items from past productions, where the inner becomes the outer in a celebration of the sculptural qualities and superb craft skills employed in making panniers, hoops, crinolines, bustles and other surprising forms. The exhibition takes you on a journey from initial concept through to finished piece, looking at sketches, designs, fabrics, traditional construction methods and some unexpected techniques used in making costume for theatre including a birdseed bra!

'BIRD SEED BRA' WORN IN
'THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS'  BY
GABRIELLE REIDY AS BESSIE BURGESS

BESPOKE CORSET, CHEMISE, BUM PAD, BLOOMERS AND PETTICOAT WORN BY DERBHLE CROTTY AS GRETTA CONROY IN 'THE DEAD' BY JAMES JOYCE

                                                      ‘Future Fashion’ focuses on six innovators of fashion and sculpture for the body.  It explores the work of fashion, jewellery and shoe designers who are embracing – and transforming – craft skills and techniques through innovative design thinking.

                                                      CREATION BY UNA BURKE

One designer I really like is Una Burke.  Her leather breastplates have a medieval influence.   She is a leather artist and designer using vegetable-tanned leathers and traditional leatherworking techniques to produce her distinct construction of leather panelling and brass fittings. 

CREATIONS BY UNA BURKE 

 

FINSK was launched in 2004 by Julia Lundsten.  Julia creates handmade shoes in an atelier in Brazil using luxurious natural materials.  Maintaining an ethical production process is essential and all the leathers used are by-products of other industries.

 Andrea Chaves and Marlies Ten Bhomer also exhibited shoe creations and Ana Rajcevic creates wearable sculptures using silicone rubber, fiberglass and gel coat.  

 

SHOES BY JULIA LUNDSTEN OF FINSK

Stephanie Bila’s collection is an exploration of the ability of jewellery to enhance our perception of the human form.  The materials used are beech, bendywood and Swarovski crystals.  The inspiration carries on through to smaller sale ready-to-wear jewellery pieces. 
 

                                                                               
Costume continues at the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny until October 16^th 2013.