Event 3 - Fowler Museum

I had the pleasure of visiting Fowler Museum this Thursday! I spent the most time in the exhibit, “Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem” by Vivan Sundaram. 

Me next to the Poisoned Robe, 2011 (made of surgical masks)

As a massive fan of fashion, I was immediately attracted to the Gagawaka project, a project with 27 garments made from recycled materials and medical supplies. I loved this idea using “rubbish” to create fashion. There were dresses made from surgical masks, tampons and ties, challenging the usual fashion industry’s traditional materials. Despite the garments’ rather strange materials, their intricate designs seem on par with the top designers’ clothes.  

T Toga, 2011 (made of tampons!)

Nowadays, rubbish disposal has become a global problem; rubbish collection centres are gradually getting full. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is therefore born; a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. “The amount of debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch accumulates because much of it is not biodegradable… About 80% of the debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from land-based activities in North America and Asia” (National Geographic). Since Vivan’s project uses mainly everyday waste materials - plastic cups, sanitary napkins and bras, it brings public attention to the reusability of waste. This display can also spark interest in the newest technology - harvesting energy from waste. Modern waste-to-energy technologies are being developed that could turn rubbish into renewable electricity or fuel for vehicles. 

Silverfoil Suit, 2011 (made of foil medicine wrappers!)

I highly recommend this exhibition to anyone who loves fashion and art. This display really demonstrates a strong relationship between art and environmental science - using waste materials to create art. 

References

"Great Pacific Garbage Patch." - National Geographic Education. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/?ar_a=1>.

"Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram | Fowler Museum at UCLA." Making Strange: Gagawaka + Postmortem by Vivan Sundaram | Fowler Museum at UCLA. Fowler Museum, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/making-strange-gagawaka-postmortem-vivan-sundaram>.

"Turning Trash into Renewable Energy." ASME Energy Forum. ASME, Aug. 2013. Web. 22 May 2015. <https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asme.org%2Fengineering-topics%2Fmedia%2Fenergy%2Fwebinar-turning-trash-into-renewable-energy>.