A Necessary Collaboration: Wearable Art + Photography

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Andi Harriman

MTJW 702

February 28, 2011

A Necessary Collaboration: Wearable Art + Photography


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The body is the heart of jewelry; it dictates the way makers develop concept and

design. In redefining adornment, several jewelry artists work in larger scale, attempting to

engage the body in new, creative ways. For this reason, traditional photography

procedures used in most jewelry documentation must be forgotten. The wearable art

requires a unique process of photography to avoid a misunderstanding of the piece. In

order to create a successful picture, the photo must take the wearable art aspect out of

the work and make itseem wearable; such works must be put into a context that creates

believability.

A piece of jewelry as an object can be intriguing: the form with its small scale

architectural elements, skillful technique, and even the content can be revealed in an

observation of the jewelry as mini sculpture. Most jewelry can survive without the

bodys presence in pictorial form because its identity is known -- a bracelet serves as a

bracelet, a brooch as a brooch, and so on. But in the realm of wearable art, the viewer

might find it difficult to realize the function or placement of the work in relation to the

body. The absence of a wearer within the photograph can be disastrous in terms of

understanding and appreciating the jewelry. Rachelle Thiewes, a jewelry artist, found that

without proper photography of her work, the audience did not make the connection to the

body (Personal Interview). Use of the body in photos can indicate several elements in

the simplest of forms: the proper placement on the body as well as an indicator of scale.

Both are integral aspects in the definition of wearable art.

In an effort to pinpoint the term wearable art, this type of work might be deemed

more difficult to wear than everyday jewelry within that, a responsibility of self-

consciousness is implied to the wearer. Wearable art can change the wearers gait,


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balance and form, allowing for the work to inhibit or enhance certain parts of the body.

Photography in terms of this genre of jewelry should be specific in its execution. Model

choice, setting and even story line, if necessary, should be included within the concept of

the wearable art form. Photographs must translate a meaning or mood about the work to

the audience. The body should not be used simply as a living pedestal but the person

must interconnect into the work itself. Some jewelry artists find that without

photography in a gallery setting, the work cannot be completely understood. Thiewes

believes that while it is possible for wearable art to exist without the photograph,

imagination is required from the viewer: My own work has never been truly complete

without being worn (Personal Interview). The disconnect between the body and the

work is evident when photographs are absent of the wearer.

Wearable art photography seems to lose its vivacity because of certain repetitive

decisions made within the field. A particular trend of photo documentation is the model

choice and clothing choice. Black clothing, particularly the stuffy turtleneck shirt, short

hair and a somber face are prominent recurrences. While it does make sense to allow the

jewelry to outshine all else, the stereotypical wearable art photograph seems dated.

Though a pioneer in wearable art, Marjorie Schicks photography lacks appeal (Fig. 1).

The example photograph of her work, GoldenWeb,proves all the previous stereotypical

points the hair being the most distracting of all because it is fighting against the

neckpiece and vying for attention. What Schicks photo does, however, is focus in on the

work so that when the viewer is notfocusing on the models hair, he or she can observe

the piece clearly.

Unfortunately, in Katrin Sprangers case, the photograph takes away the quality of


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her work, Shoulder Piece: Neoplasms (Fig. 2). The structure, embodied with graceful

electroformed and patinaed ruffles, sits like an ugly slug on the models shoulder.

Because of the cropping of this image, the piece is not the focus of the photograph the

eye quickly finds the bit of skin revealed amongst her black clothing, just beneath the

arm. The cropping of the photo could easily fix this issue but, for some reason, the artist

chose not to crop the lackluster photo in order to allow the focal point to be the jewelry.

Photographs of wearable art that do not capture the works spirit might be worse

than the photographs discussed above. In Masako Onederms photo of her workFlesh

Propagation, the image has managed to stifle the life out of the bulbous bracelet (Fig. 3).

Despite the fact that the light is positioned on the models back and her clothing is

distracting to the work, what is worse is the position of the body and how it exudes an

irreverent feel to the bracelet, disservicing the wearable art. A photo ofFlesh

Propagation to attract the idea of fantasy and play would be beneficial to the work

further consideration with clothing, styling and lighting could make this piece

convincing.

In Contemporary jewelry, photography is not traditionally incorporated into the

thought process of the artist until after the object has been made. It seems, however, that

when documentation is considered before the finished piece, the photography becomes an

essential component to the meaning of the work. The artist, Otto Kunzli integrates

photography and jewelry into jewelry as theatre, as described in the bookThe New

Jewelry. The photography of Contemporary theatre jewelry must suggest a play on

imagination to confirm its believability.

Otto Kunzlis collection titledBrooches(Fig. 4) is photographed in a thoughtful,


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provoking way. When first observing his series of pictures, the models are normal,

everyday people. Each person is adorned with a brooch of varying sizes and shapes; and

despite the brooches appearing to be actual brick or heavy metal, all are made from

wallpaper and hardfoam. None of the models look out of place, they seem comfortable

with his or her photo being taken, assuming a pose as if they were not adorned with

radical brooches that fill up their chest area. What makes this series successful is the

seamlessness of the photograph each model looks as though the brooch was chosen

because it matched his or her personality, as if the jewelry was made specifically for each

individual. The New Jewelry confirms, The Kunzli brooch might be said to give the

face position and to be the very detail that completes the portrait and yet, by other

criteria, it is absurd. The brooch is worn with a beautiful seriousness, and a dignity,

which almost but not quite renders the object perfectly normal (p. ). Kunzli has defined

the work of wearable art and photography: the work translates through photographs as

seemingly normal, though, with a skewed reality, perhaps far more interesting than

reality.

Similar to the theatrics of Contemporary jewelry, another world where the

fantastical and the outrageous thrive is within fashion realm. Photography in magazines

aim to create narratives with the clothes and accessories, piecing them together with

expertise to sell a look by engaging their audience. A photograph is not unlike a clothing

boutique, for example. The customer develops decisions about, say, a dress because of

the fantasy aspect. She must be able to imagine herself wearing the dress, to visualize

about how fabulous she would look. With fashion photography, a context is created

through use of setting, makeup, hair and adornment choice. Tosellthe audience, the


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fairytale world must seem real.

In a fashion photo shoot from Elle Magazine featuring Johanne Mills neck and

headpieces, the result is the seamless intermingling of clothing and the jewelry (Fig. 5).

The setting is in a remote desert, evoking a galaxy where the model is a princess of the

land. Every day the princess adorns herself in metallic clothing and large neckpieces.

For ceremonies, she wears a techno headpiece that recalls a lions mane and dresses in

luxe gold jodhpurs and winged jackets. The photos transform Mills wearable art to

convincing pieces that can be worn in reality. With a metallic dress must come a copper

neckpiece. Similarly, the photo of a Missoni necklace redefines the jewelry through the

images use of lighting and lackof clothing (Fig. 6). The harsh blue light on the models

skin indicates an alien or robot creature in which the necklace is necessary for

functionality as either armor or a system of channels to control her movement. Because

of the grandeur of the necklace, no clothing is needed the piece, flipped around and

placed on the back of the models body supplies enough dialogue of its own.

Within fashion magazines, the jewelry is left to the imagination of the

photographer and stylists, which can be beneficial for the maker. However, when the

artist can dictate the development of the fashion photograph, the result is a collaboration

between the maker and the photographer. Naomi Filmer, a jewelry maven, has worked

with several designers in the fashion field such as Alexander McQueen, which verifies

her understanding of fantasy and fashion. When documenting her work, the necessity of

context as an image has always been important to her (Filmer). [Photography] is part of

the communication. My work is not separate from anatomy and flesh so it was

instinctive to document it in this way (Filmer). As a maker, one must be thoughtful of


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the body at all times; it must be the nucleus of the wearable art. Filmer translates her

perceptiveness of the body and jewelry into the photography of her work (Fig. 7). The

photographer must understand the meaning of her work in order to successfully

collaborate (Filmer). The mutual understanding is proven within the finalized

photographs; and without communication between the two artists, successful

representation of the work will not be achieved.

This being said, Kat Marks is a superior example of collaboration of the maker

and photographer. A corset from the collectionInfundibulum: Amazing Brace is captured

in a high fashion manner by the photographer (Fig. 8). The models pose is stylized and

disjointed, similar to the strips of metal molded around her hips. Along with

photography, the photo editing enhances the fantasy and allure of the wearable art. The

absence of a bottom half on the model is almost unnoticeable, as if she were a doll whose

torso had popped off. Marks presentation of her work causes the audience to investigate

more, to explore other worlds to which they can be introduced.

The consideration involved in photographing wearable art must be a thorough

brainstorming process in order to achieve the innovative or interesting. Wearable art has

been cheated, in a way, through monotonous photography and stagnant poses. The charm

of this specific type of jewelry should be brought forth as a legitimate category in the

Contemporary jewelry world. It seems few artists have grasped this idea; and rather than

collaborating with photographers, stylists and designers, the wearable art jewelry remains

stationary. Only through convincing the viewer of its wearability can the piece be

validated and translated as successful wearable art.


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Fig. 1. "Golden Web by Marjorie Schick." Craft Exhibit 'A Bit Unusual'. Web. 21 Feb2011. .


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Fig. 2. "Shoulder Piece: Neoplasms by Katrin Spranger."Katrin Spranger. Web. 21 Feb2011. .


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Fig. 3. "Flesh Propagation by Masako Onedera."Jewelry. Web. 21 Feb 2011.

.


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Fig. 4. Kunzli, Otto.Brooches. 1983. The New Jewelry: Trends + Traditions. By Peter

Dormer. London: Thames And Hudson, 1985. 164.


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Fig. 5. Bush, Richard.Everything is Illuminated. 2009.Elle Mar. 2009.


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Fig. 6. Missoni Necklace,Nylon Magazine.


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Fig. 7. "Out of the Ordinary by Naomi Filmer."L'atelier. Web. 21 Feb 2011.

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Fig. 8. "Infundibulum: Amazing Brace by Kat Marks."Kat Marks. Web. 21 Feb 2011.

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Bibliography

Dormer, Peter, and Ralph Turner. The New Jewelry: Trends + Traditions. London:

Thames and Hudson, 1985.

Filmer, Naomi. Personal Interview. 15 Feb 2011.

Thiewes, Rachelle. Personal Interview. 21 Feb 2011.

A Necessary Collaboration: Wearable Art + Photography

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