Return to Earth 4545
Year: 2015
Event: World of WearableArt Weta Workshop Costume & Film Section Theme Other Worlds Section Finalist
Inspiration:
Earth is on the brink of crisis, and before the meteors hit, a small number of humans escape into space in an experimental pod, which brings them eventually to the planet Nerth. With somewhat similar conditions to Earth, Nerth is already inhabited by giant insect life-forms, who/which accept the humans into their society. After many hundreds of years, the humans begin to adapt and change, and eventually begin breeding with the other life-forms. Many years later, the descendants return to see what has become of their planet.
Materials & Techniques:
Moulded leather, acrylic paint, lycra, ibis clips, plastic tubing, crinoline tubing, sequins, organza, plastic, foam
More Information:
Ibis hair clips were deconstructed, papier mached to create surface texture, painted, and dipped in glitter to create the end pieces of the claws and sections on the headpieces. Sequins were painstakingly and very painfully stitched onto the leather – glue is never an option. Both heads began with a wire armature covered in padding and material – some of my first more stable headpieces. The cage-like structure of the female bug was also created with wire, tulle-wrapped for stability and texture, sequin fabric sewn over it then covered with shibori-shaped iridescent organza.
Bonus Information:
For the first time, my entry was accepted on the proviso of some changes being made to it. This was pretty confronting, but I recognised the merits of what the WOW team suggested. They were seeing my work with fresh eyes, and questioned why these creatures were wearing skirt and pants – they wanted to remove these and just have the leggings to make them appear more bug-like. I agreed, but had to make quite a few extra pieces to integrate this new look. The male torso was moulded over a plastic mannequin, and his large wing covers were moulded over the hood of my husbands’ Studebaker truck. He also loves to tell the tale of being scared out of his wits in the middle of the night by the two standing sentry either side of the hall in the dining room. Some sections of leather were rather brutally textured by stabbing right through with an awl.
This was also the year that Matt & I got married at The Foxglove Bar on the Wellington Harbour the day after the awards show – WOW was by now such an annual event and huge part of our lives.
