Fashion & The Arts: Dead Man’s Patterns-Memento Mori by Hormazd Narielwalla

Do you remember my interview with artist Hormazd Narielwalla on the topic of his Diane Pernet paper doll exhibit? Well, Narielwalla is back with a vengeance with his next solo show, where his collages have moved into the realm of the three-dimensional and utilize defunct tailoring patterns in order to realise an assortment of a talisman who's meaning is twofold. The skull at once represents the vestigial remains of the discarded patterns, but also, for me, when the words "skull" and "Savile Row" are uttered in the same breath, I cannot but help but think of a homage to Lee McQueen the man who turned tailoring on its head, stripped it bare and built his legacy thereupon.



Narielwalla wrote to me in an email: "It is very exciting as my collages have moved into three-dimensional form and I have cut, stapled and pasted the dead men’s patterns to create three-dimensional skulls (an edition of 50). From this process of my imprint, I was left with remnants, rather precious to me – this prompted me to also create 2-dimensional collage artworks where the awkward cut-out pattern pieces are pasted to create an outline of a skull (also an edition of 50)."

Slated to take place during London Fashion Week at prestigious design agency Sheridan & Co,  Dead Man’s Patterns – Memento Mori features 7 three-dimensional skulls from a limited edition of 50 accompanied by 7 two-dimensional artworks from an edition of 50 all exploring the remembrances of death. The exhibition from the 20th of Feb to 3rd March 2012 will also feature an analogue light projection by BAFTA winning artist Ed Burton.

The show will take place Sheridan& Co’s Blandford Street studio on 20 February to 3 March at 10A Blandford Street, London, W1U 4AZ