COLOURED WOOL FOR A TERRESTRIAL OCEAN
Dec 3, 2019
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Today we want to focus on artistic proposals that use atypical techniques for their compositions. The ability to surprise in contemporary creation has come in recent times with technology. The incorporation of artificial intelligence, the use of sound and visual algorithms, virtual reality... propose a hybridisation between the artistic and the technological with unpredictable results. But at the same time, many authors choose a return to more crafted and accessible methodologies that require a considerable investment of time but offer a more intimate and respectful connection with the natural environment. In fact, in some of these initiatives, nature becomes the preferred leitmotif in many of these works.
Among the authors who openly embrace this alternative, Mulyana's work has caught our attention. This Indonesian artist has chosen an alias to identify his work: “The Mogus,” a word formed from Monster and Gurita, the name given to one of his most famous characters: an octopus. This denomination is a clear allusion to the places that it reconstructs in its pieces, typical of the seabed. Indeed, Mulyana has appropriated wool as the main raw material of his work and has dedicated herself to weaving huge marine scenes with endless details and colours. His installations invite us to walk through space as if we were in an oceanographic museum, and we could identify and recognise the multitude of species that live in the depths.
The Mogus wants to represent through coral reefs the help of the other and the generation of tolerance spaces in a society full of prejudices. These structures are home to many beings that live in harmony and symbiosis under the shelter of these natural constructions. This demonstrates the ability of species to interact in confined environments with respect and harmony. In addition to this, the artist is an octopus lover, whom he always includes in his works, because they represent the human capacity to help others and always lend a hand if necessary. Precisely for that reason, the artist has carried out social integration projects that involve the trans community and domestic workers to provide them with tools and resources that they apply in their day-to-day life.
Mulyana currently has an exhibition at the Orange County Museum of Art, in Santa Ana, California, with a proposal entirely in white that breaks the usual work trend of this creator: "A man, a monster and the sea".
Vanessa Barragão is another artist focused on the representation of the marine environment through the use of knitted yarns and wool. Their pieces are sometimes arranged as water mats that the visitor must travel, or they are posed as hanging elements, to emulate the suspension within the water. The concern of this creator for the care of nature and the fight against some of the most polluting industries on the planet, such as textiles, lead her to reuse all the materials she incorporates into her work. On the other hand, she has chosen themes that serve to denounce the irresponsibility of the sector.
Seeking that society becomes aware of the impact that our daily activity generates in the world, Vanessa has focused on the oceans, which absorb 90% of the total global pollution. In addition to her creative activity, she also directs a textile design studio that strictly follows ecological and sustainable processes in its production.
