Éadaion McGourty 'Frosted Glass'
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Eadaoin Mc Gourty - Frosted Glass - Artists Statement
This collection is named ‘Frosted Glass’. In this collection I wanted to show the beauty and precious nature of ice as a visual inspiration while also showing how it is a depleting resource which is continuously taken for granted. I began to study the impact the fashion industry has on the environment and consequently the importance of creating sustainable fashion. In this collection I address the alarming rate in which the polar ice caps are melting. The polar ice caps are melting so quickly that it is triggering climate change all over the world. Currently Antarctic temperatures are 20 degrees celsius higher then they should be, which is leading to higher production of methane gas from the tundra. This in turn is increasing the occurrences of monsoons and effects climates all over the earth. I believe that we simply cannot let ice melt away from our planet forever. I decided to create an avant garde collection, an artistic interpretation of fashion, which aims to to bring the striking beauty of ice to the foreground of conversation in the hope of increasing awareness of the importance of retaining this natural resource. I began investigating my source through photography, capturing ice in both natural and manmade forms. This photography created a strong foundation for the whole collection. I continued to capture the colour and intricacies of ice through creating abstract paintings. Once I had collected enough inspiration, I began to create the fashion pieces. Each piece showcases a new use of a recycled textile from c.d.s to plastic bottles. Visually, I wanted to use these textiles to capture and recreate the iridescent and transparent qualities of ice and the depth it can create. I wanted to translate this to fashion by using opaque and iridescent fabrics and unique organic shaped embellishments. I also wanted to create a negative space within some of my designs to symbolise the absence of the ice which has already melted away from our planet forever.
OPENING NIGHT
