Josh Birch-Jones
Having explored the presentation of the human body , I was inspired to explore the fusion of fashion and art . Studying the human body , I have been fascinated by presenting what is inside on the outside , in particular after my initial research into the skeleton . The impact the human body has had on fashion and textiles intrigued me , and my exhibition seeks to understand the shape and precious nature of the human form and how fashion can impact this , through the use of material and texture .
The use of fashion and textiles allowed me to do this in quite a literal way , creating garments that visually explore my inspirations . I incorporated sculpture to imitate parts of the body through the creation of a ribcage made of wire and plaster , which I have combined on top of a dress . Still fitting in with the idea of fabric manipulation , I created a portrait entirely out of fabric , emphasising tone which I achieved through the use of layering tulle fabric . Evolving the idea of using textile to imitate the human skeleton , I decided to explore this through fabric manipulation , by pleating fabric to create the effect of a spine , which I incorporated as part of a jacket . I also used beading to convey the human body , taking reference imagery from my still life sessions , focusing on tone and shape and how to achieve this with delicate embroidery methods . In addition , I explored textile production using techniques such as weaving and destroying other materials in order to create my own , in conjunction with painting onto materials to depict the human body .