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手織亞麻布,白芨
Handwoven linen, Chinese ground orchid paste (Bletilla striata)
60x35x70cm

2018

CLOTHES TURN - From thread to clothes

手織布作為服裝的向度

2018.12.01 - 2019.01.28

嘉義好思當代 Chiayi Haohuas

嘉義,台灣 Chiayi, Taiwan

攝影Photo : 許博彥 Hsu Po-Yen 

「Walrus-gut kamleika」為尤皮克人的傳統服飾,是以海象的腸道製成的衣物,腸道經處理後剖開形成長條狀再進行縫製,因腸子富含油質,具有防水的功能。傳統的極地居民主要以狩獵維生,包括衣物的製作,通常是以獵物的毛皮製成。由於資源不易取得,婦女會以最低耗損的方式製作,這也使服裝保留了材料原有的特色與形貌。不同於織物,皮毛大多保留動物的形狀,而並非完整的平面。尤皮克人服裝的構成類似「立體雕塑」而非「立體剪裁」,衣服雖然呈現立體人形的狀態,但並非完全合身,穿戴時呈現有趣的視覺效果。

 

Walrus-gut kamleika 形塑出的人體型態,與著衣者之間的關係十分有趣。衣服本身多餘的空間(或由於不合身的剪裁),掩蓋原本的身體線條,體態及動作上也受到非常大的改變及影響。我延續以往思考衣物空間與身體關係的創作脈絡,以自己的身體作為模本,從 Walrus-gut kamleika 的結構中尋找作品發展的可能。

“Kamleika” (Chukchi word for gut parka), or snow shirt, is a traditional Yupik garment. Typically, Kamleikas are made out of walrus intestines being sewn with fine sinew threads and special watertight stitches. They serve for ideal outerwear under wet weather and ocean traveling, since animal fat creates water resistance. 

 

Resources in the Arctic Circle are limited. Given that Yupik lifestyle relies on hunting, animals become their primary resource for clothing as well. This makes the garment-making process sustainable in order to keep every part of the material possible. More often than not, final products are made with the least amount of reduction, keeping original qualities of the materials.

 

The major difference between walrus intestines and fabric as a material is the innate composition of animal body parts. While fabrics can be made into a flat surface, intestines retain a silhouette of the original anatomy. Kamleikas are fully dimensional. That being said, the parka has to be made with the idea of sculpting rather than draping. Even though it can be made to match a human figure, the parka is mostly shapeless and oversized, thus creating an intriguing appearance. 

The parka creates an interesting relationship between body and space. Due to its loose-fitting structure, the human figure is hidden. The garment creates a roomy, spacious look. This not only changes how one is perceived but also how one moves their body. Dawned upon the kamleika, I attempt to extend the idea of negative space between the human body and clothing from my perspective and develop aesthetically from this work.  

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