Retrospective 4: PANOPOLY: i wore a very large dress with rubber genital parts on it.

Thefree for arts festivaltook place in OCTOBER and i got involved in two of the events : I photographed the 'SYDNEY STREET PICTURE HOUSE' film screening,which i really enjoyed but i also took part as a performer/model in 'PANOPOLY.':

PANOPLY!! - PICCADILLY PLACEPiccadilly Place - M1 3BN
Panoply!! Brings artists, designers and performers together to take on the job of creatively displaying a full catalogue of designs and ideas from the most cutting edge up and coming creative minds in front of a live audience.
Panoply!! is an artistic, performance event, which intends to open the minds of the viewers as to the world of fashion and design. Eluding the normaties of high street fashion, Panoply!! is inspired by the eccentricities and ambition of contemporary fashion catwalk designs and displays.The performance artists are asked to work with costume and fashion designers or work in the medium of clothing and textiles to investigate new ideas and pieces of work that can demonstrate powerful imagery, new ideas about fashion.
Panoply!! is a creation from the minds of a group called the Volkov Commanders. The Volkov Commanders invite the worlds of art and fashion together to witness how one can annex the others role and break the boundaries lying between.
Artists/Performers involved:The Volkov Commanders, Ed Wiffen, Mariel Osborn, Aliyah Hussain, Anna Beam, Rachel Maclean, Esther Arocha, Kirsty Maclaren and Sanna Berger
When:
8 – 11pm
Venue:
Piccadilly Place, M1 3BN (just 2 minutes from Piccadilly Gardens



I turned up with KAROL to this event with the idea that i would be modelling a head or shoulder piece,however i ended up in this very large and amazing dress with a bright blue face,blue wig with ears and various props. Due to my previous performance expirience i really got into character and froze into positions for long periods of time.I approached it like a serious actor. i enjoyed talking to the artist about her works and i saw costume form a completly different perspective,it made me think about the possibilities of recycled materials. The artist (RACHEL MCLEAN)also created a surreal film containing the costumes used at the exhibition,the film reminded me of a film i had seen at the Liverpool bienalle,a fragmented,extremly awkward film,using contrapuntal sound and high contrast with american iconography and brash chracterisation,fast paced cuts with smeared make-up and odd acting.




The other images were taken by the organisers and they show how the rest of the space was used.