Exhibition at Galleria Huuto from 11th of May to 4th of June 2023
Weight of Fabric, 2023. Exhibition. Installation views.
I started exploring the sustainability aspect of my clothing in the year 2018, when I emptied my wardrobe of accessories, footwear, and clothing that had been sitting there out of use, awaiting removal or recycling. I gathered information on these garments from clothes tags etc. and supplemented them with information I scoured from the internet, and my memory. I weighed the garments for a grand total of 21,8 kg.
I made a broader inventory on my complete wardrobe in the year 2020. At that time, my garments weighed 38,9 kg. The inventory inspired me want to know more about my garments and how they got in my wardrobe, and what kind of impact my clothing choices had on the ecological and social climate. I was also curious to seek for other ways to consume garments. I lost appetite to buy new clothes and started to use clothes that I already had longer. In 2020–22 I bought 2,2 kg of garments.
In the end of 2022, I owned 62,9 kg of garments.
Weight of fabric -exhibition is composed of parts created with mixed methods and materials. Textile- and video-based pieces convey information on garments, their manufacturing processes, acquisition, use, and disposal. As a part of the exhibition, there are Instagram posts that are made on certain pieces of clothing, challenging their manufacturers to be more transparent on their business models. The exhibition also hosts a workshop, where visitors may stitch nature themed clothes patches.
My artistic work has received support from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland, the Turku city cultural committee, and the VISEK Centre for the promotion of Visual Art. I have received further help for assembling this exhibition from my friends and family members. A heartfelt thanks to all involved!
Works
Infographics on the life cycle of garments, 2023. 00:08:35, stereo.
Time of owning, part 2: Garments purchased after 2020, weight of garments 2,2 kg. 2023. 25 x 35 x 9 cm.
Raw cotton fabric, recycled sheets, wood, and plastic.
Time of owning, part 1: Garments in the inventory of wardrobe 2020, weight of garments 38,9 kg, 2020–2023. 200 x 300 + 300 x 9 cm.
Raw cotton fabric, recycled sheets, wood, polyester string and ribbon, cotton string, jute string, paper, and textile dye.
The textile works on the wall represents the owning time of clothes and the volume of my wardrobe. Each fabric strip forms a vertical line which are timelines of owning a certain garment. On the top of the timeline is a year 2022. Red marks in timelines, including a red horizontal line, stands for the passing of years. Different colours in timelines have meaning. Creamy white represent that the garment has been in active use, beige means that the garment has been in passive use, and varied colours express that the garment is no longer in use. The fabric of varied colours is from discarded garments. In the bottom of some timelines are QR-codes which are links to Instagram posts. Instagram posts present single garments with the detailed information and a picture. In those posts are customized hashtags, like #WhoMadeMyClothes and #LovedClothesLast which are part of the social media campaign run by the Fashion Revolution movement. On one hand these posts are examples of what a consumer can do to urge forward sustainable fashion industry. On other hand these posts are activism that challenge clothing manufacturers for more transparent business activity.
Instagram posts, 2020–2023. View to Instagram feed.
Weighing of garments: Garments in the inventory of wardrobe 2020, polyester and cotton fibre amount, water consumption of fibres and the manufacturing process of fabrics, 2020–2023. 01:20:08, stereo. Video sample.
Origin of materials, weight of garments 62,9 kg, 2023. 62 x 120 x 80 cm. Cotton fabric, recycled fabrics, wood, foam plastic, paper, and weights.
This three dimensional infography on pedestal shows the origin of materials that my garments were made of, and the amount of each category. The shape of the work is based on a tree map chart which indicates the relation between each segment. Segments can be lifted to feel the weight.
21,8 kg of waste: Garments removed from use in 2018, 2018–2022. 90 x 100 x 120 cm. Garments previously used by the artist.
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Workshop: Make a nature-themed clothes patch!, 2023. Visitors can embroider patches by do-it-yourself concept.
The workshop suggests a different way to consume garments: instead of buying new, repair and reuse clothes you already have. The workshop is open throughout the exhibition.
Exhibition at Galleria Rajatila from 2nd to 19th of September 2023
Weight of Fabric -exhibition was on display at Galleria Rajatila with almost the same combination of works than in Galleria Huuto. Exhibition was added with a new artwork and new Instagram posts. The workshop was open just for a day. My artistic work for this exhibition was supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
Thank you, 2023. 160 x 120 x 7 cm. Garments previously used by the artist, painted wood, string and needle. English translations.
The work acknowledges some of the enablers of clothes. Though, the gratitude evokes sympathy, expressing gratitude seems to be insufficient towards the environmental and social impacts of consuming clothes.