Once on This Island arrives in a few short days, but we’ve kicked off celebrating this show with the Divinity from the Discarded fashion exhibition, on display now in Walker Atrium at Walton Arts Center! The exhibition was curated exclusively for WAC by Christopher Vergara, assistant costume designer for Once on This Island.
The exhibition is free and open during normal lobby hours: 10 am until 2 pm Monday through Friday, 10 am until 4 pm on Saturday and 90 minutes prior to show times.
Featuring the work of six Northwest Arkansas designers, the exhibition celebrates sustainable fashion and the unique costumes of the gods in Once on This Island. Designed by Clint Ramos and assisted by associate costume designer Christopher Vergara, the gods’ costumes incorporate found or upcycled objects to create a gradual evolution of the characters from hurricane-ravaged islanders into the gods in the unfolding tale.
Each piece in the exhibition is made from found or upcycled materials. Vergara curated the exhibition from submissions that came in via a state-wide call. The Divinity from the Discarded Fashion Exhibition includes works by Brandy Lee, Trisha Guting, Sarah White, Rosie Rose, Alyssa Bird and Elizabeth Koemer.
Brandy Lee
Trash Diamond Dream
Materials: Salvaged laminate padding
Curator’s Notes: This dress exemplifies one of the tenets of upcycling, which is to make use of the natural qualities of the found material. Here the designer takes advantage of the material’s sturdiness to not only create a diamond cut-out pattern but also to draft a flattering dress shape.
Trisha Guting
Sagut ni Silaw (Bringing Light)
Materials: Double hammered bottle caps, aluminum pull tabs from cans, CDs, plastic bags, packing foam and Mylar balloons
Curator’s Notes: Being able to bring to mind another time or place with discarded items of the here and now is part of the fun of upcycling. While ingeniously using many modern materials, this piece evokes an ancient indigenous divinity.
Sarah White
Summer Dress
Materials: Plastic bags
Curator’s Notes: At its core, upcycling is about contrasts as we make useful that which has been considered useless. This summer dress is a beautiful example of celebrating the contrast. Here a light knit-like summer look is in contrast to the plastic bags from which it was made.
Rosie Rose
Swan Dress
Materials: Fabric scraps from linen clothing production and plastic soda pop rings
Curator’s Notes: Upcycling can be truly transformative practice. In this piece the materials have been transformed into an ombré tutu dress that has a sense of motion not found in but created by the discarded materials.
Alyssa Bird
The SPACE to Transform
Materials: Test print and misprinted t-shirts from a local screen printing company
Curator’s Notes: One of the tangential benefits of upcycling is the opportunity to highlight local stories. This piece is not only inventive fashion but great storytelling.
Elizabeth Koerner
Waste Not, Want Not.
Materials: Packing fabric, ribbon and trim
Curator’s Notes: We talk about going from day to evening but here we have gone from discarded to high fashion. This piece of wearable arts shows how upcycling can be a legitimate technique in fashion design and creation.
You still have a chance to see these beautiful creations and a showing of Once on This Island. Theater seating for the show starts at $40 plus applicable fees and can be purchased in-person at the Walton Arts Center Box Office, by calling 479.443.5600 or by visiting waltonartscenter.org. Patrons also can get reserved parking for $7 when they purchase show tickets.
Show Times:
Tuesday, Feb. 11 and Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 pm
Thursday, Feb. 13 at 1:30 and 7 pm
Friday, Feb. 14 at 8 pm
Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 and 8 pm
Sunday, Feb. 16 at 2 pm