You cannot deconstruct unless you know how to construct. - Alexander McQueen

archive for May 31st, 2013

Chess, Vilmava, Tenuous Connections and Jung

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Came across a couple of things in short order, sparking a connection in spite of myself. (Reason gives a watery roll of the eyes over its book and bifocals. It tries to look casual leaning on the granite mantel, which pulls uncomfortably at the inseam of its jacket. A sad sight, so I go on spiting.) The connection? Chess. Too impatient to be good at it. When pressed for tactics my brain becomes a slip-n-slide. Thoughts can’t gain traction and race off the edge, getting a friction burn on the grass.

Yesterday The Cut reported on an upcoming fashion exhibit that makes a tenuous connection - they prefer to call it a collision - between fashion and chess (ok, so there is Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2005 show):

a queen within.jpg

A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess will be held at the World Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis, Missouri. It opens on October 19th and runs through April 18th, 2014. “…Jungian archetypes and archetypal patterns in literature, film, fashion photography and folktales will be used to examine the relationships between power, risk-taking, as well as feminine roles in queen archetypes and the representations of those roles in the designers’ works.” Included in the lineup is Koji Arai, one of the most talented and intelligent designers I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing. The unusual setting alone makes the exhibit worth going to, but it will also be a treat to see how they make the connection between Jungian archetypes and the works featured.

A little later, in a completely unrelated search, I came across these wonderful looks from Vilmava’s “Mitosis” collection by Finnish designer Vilma Riikijoki. In the image below they appear to be playing chess:

vilmava mitosis1.jpg
From Vilmava’s “Mitosis” collection. Photo by Aleksia Perä-Rouhu.

making of mitosis vilmava.jpg
Model Meri during the making of. Photo by Eetu Heinonen.

Vilmava’s Mitosis collection was inspired by, “…cellular biology and fluorescent photography. Riitijoki aims to honor and praise the invisible authors, who build breathtaking worlds all around us. Mitosis is purely an art collection, not based on industrial or commercial principles. Leather is recycled. The process was experimental and the last of it’s kind.”

riikijoki at work.jpg
Riikijoki at work.

impressive artwork.jpg
An impressive sketch.

It is interesting to note that instead of Paris or London, Riikijoki has opted to spend six months studying in Vilnius, Lithuania. For those in the area, Vilmava will make a showing in Berlin this July.

Finding meaning where there is none. It’s what I do. Maybe coming across the fashion exhibit and Vilmava within an hour of each other isn’t a coincidence after all. Maybe there’s a little synchronicity at play.