RE-DRESS
By Jessica Verdi
Contributing Writer
Well, it is that time of year again. Holiday parties are over, the snow has piled up and the frigid winter temperatures have settled in bringing with them the onset of cabin fever. It is hard to imagine the colors and textures of spring lurking under the heaps of snow, but this weekend’s fashion show at Gallery 14 will be a good way to shake off the winter blues and get ready for spring fever. This first show by artist Lana Suomala will present 11 dresses constructed of recycled and reclaimed fabrics in a show that incorporates photography and music, and will be as much fashion show as it is performance piece. If that isn’t enough, these hand-sewn works of art will be available for purchase, giving the viewers an opportunity to take a work of art home.
Soumala, who has traditionally worked in printmaking, has gone in a completely different direction with her textile pieces. After amassing a large collection of vintage and second hand clothing, she has breathed new life into the garments. In the Cubist tradition, she has cut apart and dismantled garments, and re-assembled them into dresses that are rich in texture and color with heavy natural influences. Amid fabric assembled to look like bark, the models will bring to life the outside world inside the gallery. Soumala’s main inspiration for her pieces is nature. Along with piecing together fabrics that resemble flora and fauna, she has taken many natural objects such as coral and dead flowers and incorporated them into her dresses. The models were also encouraged to add their interpretations of the dresses and nature into their walk down the runway, leaving an element of surprise for the viewer and the artist herself.
Adding a wintry backdrop to the show are the photos of Suomala, taken during the recent snap of below zero temperatures, wearing vintage clothing while playing among the drifts and dormant foliage of Fargo.These snowy still imges in color and black and white, are a great juxtaposition against the moving textured dresses worn by the models.
Soumala’s commitment to producing her own patchwork textiles from discarded and unwanted clothing is the highlight of these pieces. Just as nature renews itself every spring, so have the lives of these garments, which have fallen into the throwaway culture of the 21st century. So, while winter continues to frimly grip the Midwest, inside Gallery 14, nature comes alive and reinvigorates the audience. If cabin fever is creeping in, this show will keep it at bay, at least for one more night.
Questions or comments: [email protected]
If You Go
Where: Gallery 14, 14 Roberts St. N.
When: Sat. 8-10pm; Doors 7:30; Limited seating
Contact: 239-0063 and find them on Facebook at RE-DRESS: Alive in the Dead of Winter
By Jessica Verdi
Contributing Writer
Well, it is that time of year again. Holiday parties are over, the snow has piled up and the frigid winter temperatures have settled in bringing with them the onset of cabin fever. It is hard to imagine the colors and textures of spring lurking under the heaps of snow, but this weekend’s fashion show at Gallery 14 will be a good way to shake off the winter blues and get ready for spring fever. This first show by artist Lana Suomala will present 11 dresses constructed of recycled and reclaimed fabrics in a show that incorporates photography and music, and will be as much fashion show as it is performance piece. If that isn’t enough, these hand-sewn works of art will be available for purchase, giving the viewers an opportunity to take a work of art home.
Soumala, who has traditionally worked in printmaking, has gone in a completely different direction with her textile pieces. After amassing a large collection of vintage and second hand clothing, she has breathed new life into the garments. In the Cubist tradition, she has cut apart and dismantled garments, and re-assembled them into dresses that are rich in texture and color with heavy natural influences. Amid fabric assembled to look like bark, the models will bring to life the outside world inside the gallery. Soumala’s main inspiration for her pieces is nature. Along with piecing together fabrics that resemble flora and fauna, she has taken many natural objects such as coral and dead flowers and incorporated them into her dresses. The models were also encouraged to add their interpretations of the dresses and nature into their walk down the runway, leaving an element of surprise for the viewer and the artist herself.
Adding a wintry backdrop to the show are the photos of Suomala, taken during the recent snap of below zero temperatures, wearing vintage clothing while playing among the drifts and dormant foliage of Fargo.These snowy still imges in color and black and white, are a great juxtaposition against the moving textured dresses worn by the models.
Soumala’s commitment to producing her own patchwork textiles from discarded and unwanted clothing is the highlight of these pieces. Just as nature renews itself every spring, so have the lives of these garments, which have fallen into the throwaway culture of the 21st century. So, while winter continues to frimly grip the Midwest, inside Gallery 14, nature comes alive and reinvigorates the audience. If cabin fever is creeping in, this show will keep it at bay, at least for one more night.
Questions or comments: [email protected]
If You Go
Where: Gallery 14, 14 Roberts St. N.
When: Sat. 8-10pm; Doors 7:30; Limited seating
Contact: 239-0063 and find them on Facebook at RE-DRESS: Alive in the Dead of Winter