CIRQUE
For this series I was keen to explore costume in contemporary circus, in particular the performers clothing in Cirque Du Soleil, where costume plays an integral part to the theme and storyline of the performance. In West African culture women often use costume as a way to communicate, expressing feelings such as joy, pride, happiness and excitement, which I reference in my work. I looked for any similarities and studied how the performers use costume to convey narrative to the audience. I wanted to marry circus costume with traditional Nigerian attire.
Wax print fabrics with similar shapes and motifs were sourced in London and Ghana. The quirky patterns of the fabric design juxtaposed with the animated figures expresses the feeling of life, renewal and joy. Whilst the vibrancy of the textiles lends itself well to the collages buoyant circus theme.
All Artwork is Untitled and created using wax print material, lace trimmings and pencil-crayon on water colour paper. Further details in SHOP.
Images by Corin Ashleigh Brown at ‘Patterns of Movement’ Exhibit, Circus, 2018 (view more images via the Exhibition page)
The colour-way for this series is bold and vibrant. I often use yellow tones to suggest a happiness and positivity, whilst orange tones are energetic and up lifting. The use of both colours brings dynamism to these playful flamboyant figures and drawn at life-size makes an instant impact. The size of the artwork also meant I could introduce embroidery and fabric gathering techniques – such as backstitching and include a structured ruffled neck and arm design feature. The softness of the Batik material meant it could be easily manipulated and I experimented with collage to create various textural combinations.
