Material Girl in a Disposable World

Material Girl in a Disposable World...that's the title of my most recent piece, which was presented today at OCAD's UNDERCOVER show at the Great Hall. Five classes from sections of Creative Process and Research and Experimental Production (including photography, material arts and design and sculpture/installation) displayed their work by wearing their creations and struttin' it on a catwalk in front of an audience, live dj and panel of jurors. It was OCAD's version of PROJECT RUNWAY, with a fine arts twist. People had to make wearable structures that addressed issues of transformation, sexuality, identity, social/political issues, etc. I have to say, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! I really hemmed (no pun intended) and hawed about this project over the last 2 weeks b/c I was sick, not able to put the time into it that I wanted, and yet it all turned out to my surprise. So, to raise the stakes and to make it fun for all of us, there was prize money involved...about 5 gift bags from Aboveground Arts Supplies, 5 $25 gift certificates to Aboveground and 7 $100 cash prizes for the best pieces. It was a total inspirational gong show...everyone's right brains at their finest and our class really rocked it hard. I think our class had the highest percentage of wicked pieces AND awards.

So my piece, inspired by a modern day Marie Antoinette (thanks Sofia Coppola) was a french courtesan gown circa pre French Revolution and full period head piece, all of which were made from recycled plastic grocery bags and plastic kitchen garbage bags. My idea was to juxtapose extreme indulgence, over the top decadence and absurd consumption with the idea of recycling common materials in a present day world where it seems we are moving more and more towards disposable everything. I just went at it...starting with the collection of plastic bags over time, making sure to recycle rather than to ask for more from the grocers, then cutting them up and sewing layers upon layers of frills, gathers, tucking here, putting a dart there. My years of sewing really came in handy because I didn't even draft a pattern, just cut and sew, eye-balling it the whole way through. In the end, I was delighted with the result and excited about presenting in the show. Needless to say, I got on that catwalk and danced and pranced like nobody's business.

And the payoff....I WON!!!! I took home a Juror's Prize, chosen by the Dean of the Faculty Design himself....for $100!!!!!!! And that's just the sweetest recognition and validation that a girl can ask for. YAY!!!!!!!!!

the end of east is coming east

after some hiatus with sickness and a complete facebook bender, i'm back on blogger. oh how calming and serene it is here. facebook, though fun, is completely egomaniacal (sorry fellow facebook addicts)! i retreat to my friendly neighborhood, always there when i need it, personal blog where at least some things still feel sacred.

anyhow, sickness has been strangely sobering. it's been 5 days now since i came down with double whammy cough/sore throat and general malaise that has kept me bedridden and housebound for 5 days. horrible. but as many of us busy torontonians can sympathize with, sometimes sickness is the only time we really slow down and chill out. everything stopped. my art projects, work (equals no pay), my playwriting.... at first i felt so anxious at the thought of suffering the consequences of unfulfilled projects. now, i find that maybe my relationship with things has to change in order for me to feel better. today was the first such day.

we were blessed with a glorious day in toronto - one that can even make a phlegm filled vessel of cooties like me feel new again. on my way back from the useless doctor (post nasal drip my ass), i basked in the first rays of warmth in toronto in like 5 months. i even took my jacket off!!!! then a series of hapless events on my part ended up with me locked out of my house with nothing to do. i resolved to get a tea at lettieri and check out book city in the annex for my cousin's debut novel, The End of East. and to my delight, i found it in all it's beauty, sitting on the hardcover new arrivals table. how surreal. needless to say, i am so proud of her. she's been at it for a while. an O.G. if you will...and for it to all pay off like this is really a dream come true.

so this soggy sickness tale comes to a happy ending with me returning to my front stoop, hot chai in hand, eager to devour the pages of this book like a fresh plate of chili fried prawns, home-cooked style. it is really fascinating reading something written by someone you know...much less a family member who you have certain childhood memories of. and after all the drama of my cold, it all culminated with me enjoying a good book, revisiting my memories of vancouver and clinging onto the rays of this most beautiful day the way i cling onto each delicious word. for those who are interested, she's reading at harbourfront center on March 28th. congratulations Jen Sookfong Lee!