Paper/Garment (2015)

Paper/Garment and Changing Forms Shine Light on Aspiring Artists

July 15 through July 25, Thursday through Sunday, 12 noon – 6 pm
Opening reception, 5 pm – 8 pm

SAN FRANCISCO – In support of future visual artists, Minnesota Street Project will provide the space for SFArtsEd to showcase two student exhibits, Paper/Garment and Changing Forms at 2291 3rd Street. Paper/Garment will open July 15, with a reception from 5 pm – 8 pm. Guests also can view a few pieces from these exhibits at two neighborhood locations: MAC at 1003 Minnesota Street, and Industrious Life at 1095 Tennessee St.

Paper/Garment is the culmination of SFArtsED Summer Fashion Camp, which focused on the concept of fashion as sculpture. Tiersa Nureyev, teaching artist, asked her students, “How can a series of paper forms create a wearable object?”

The class began with a comprehensive investigation into the difference between shape and form and the difference between two-dimensions and three. Students experimented with creating forms out of basic paper shapes by rolling, bending, folding, gluing and taping. As the students started working common fabric manipulation vocabulary was introduced. Folds became knife, accordion and box pleats. Circular and curved shapes took the form of cascades, ruffles, trains, scales and spikes. New paper textiles were created using weaving and repetitive symmetry-based cutting techniques. In one case a dragon relief was created to wrap around the bodice of a ball gown.

After trying a variety of forms, students chose their favorite constructions. Space, balance, and scale were considered in order to position their forms into their final garment. They then sketched and proposed their ideas for garments that utilized the forms in which they were most interested.

The students spent two weeks making the paper sketches come to life. This required pattern drafting, fitting, sewing, ironing, much discussion and refining and finally a monumental amount of taping and gluing. The students worked in pairs or alone to create dresses, and accessories.

“What resulted was amazing and inspiring,” Nureyev said. “In every instance this group of 9 to 12-year-old girls followed through on their original vision and brought their original ideas and sketches to life. The materials were modest; butcher paper, scissors, tape, and glue. The student’s vision and perseverance and process required to create these sculptural garments were extraordinary.”

 

About SFArtsED

Arts education through participation is what firmly distinguishes the San Francisco Arts Education Project. We pursue this by bringing career artists directly to kids in every corner of our city; helping them ignite personal confidence and growth. As children enter a world of lifelong investigation, we seek to leave them with skills that not only embrace their childhood curiosity. But captivate their imaginations over decades.  The San Francisco Arts Education Project provides participatory experiences in the arts to the children of San Francisco so they are better equipped to make use of their creative abilities in all aspects of their lives.

About Minnesota Street Project

With real estate costs skyrocketing throughout San Francisco, Minnesota Street Project provides a location for visual arts businesses and organizations to put down roots and build a dynamic cultural hub. Located in San Francisco’s historic Dogpatch neighborhood, Minnesota Street Project offers a new model for affordable and economically sustainable spaces for art galleries, artists and related nonprofits and retail. Founded by Deborah and Andy Rappaport, Minnesota Street Project is scheduled to open a 35,000 square foot warehouse at 1275 Minnesota Street in March 2016. During construction, Minnesota Street Project will present ongoing visual arts programming at temporary spaces around the city. For more information, visit minnesotastreetproject.com.

For more information, photos or arrange interviews, please call 415.551.7990, or e-mail chad.j@sfartsed.org. Right click on images below to download.