All term I have been researching into the Vulgar exhibition at the Barbican exhibition which considered the 'redefinition' of fashion and themes of vulgarity in all senses of the word. I had never explored my own ideas of this concept before so it was interested to see my own thoughts unravel as the exhibition shaped my knowledge of it throughout fashion history. The exhibition itself was without a doubt the largest I have ever visited. Its scale was excessive; heavily dimmed lights and towering ceilings, combined with draped black fabric and two floors overlooked from a balcony space - in addition to an unnecessary number of security watching from every corner - made the exhibition space the literal definition of vulgarity.
Photography wasn't permitted (which is always frustrating as far as critical journal entries and social media posts are concerned!) but it was a pleasant atmosphere to simply take in the intricacies of the beautiful couture and vintage garments without interruption, something which definitely contributed to the feeling of somewhat intimidating luxury and high-fashion in the exhibition space. The idea that I felt quite intimidated by my visit was interesting to observe, as vulgar fashion should be intimidating. Its otherness and obscurity - on full display in sparse rows under the careful watch of camera and security, cordoned off behind ropes - is quite ugly and unapologetic. I really appreciate that fashion as an art form should make its consumers feel strong emotions, whether that be adoration or pleasure or in this case, vulgar. I was most taken aback by the sheer number of ways that vulgarity can be introduced into fashion and clothing, from the elite and wealthy to the tacky and tasteless. Somewhat contradictorily, vulgarity isn't an exclusive concept in terms of the 'type' of person that it can take the shape of.
Potentially my favourite aspect of the whole exhibition was the ironic fact that fashion exhibitions had once been considered vulgar themselves. I read a note from Mr. Digby to the Director of the V&A Museum which said "people concerned with fashion are very demanding - they deal with ephemeral activities such as theatre and fashion shows, so they do not easily brook the necessarily slower and more responsible attitude of a museum". The idea of The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined exhibition being held at the Barbican Centre - or any other museum of art, for that matter - would once have been considered vulgar itself. This concept is why I really enjoyed the exhibition; it made me consider different perspectives and make sense of other people's beliefs or personal taste levels and question the true definition of taste. It was an extremely thought-provoking and stimulating visit.
My typography assignment in the Fashion Industry 2 module required me to explore creative ways to produce typeface with the ultimate task of producing a poster (pictured below) used to advertise the Barbican exhibition. Throughout the creative process, I tried to visualise the final poster hanging on the walls of the London underground or out-and-about on the busy streets and this was useful while I tried to position information in the most appropriate places. I kept the original style of the Barbican, including the original Barbican font and characteristic semi-circle shape in the corner with location and website address, which I think is effective as it is immediately recognisable. I introduced the theme of corsetry and victorian fashion as vulgarity by including an illustration at the forefront of the poster and used a pink/peach colour palette in cohesion with the exhibition's branded palette.
Judith Clark
28th December 2016
Barbican Centre, London
Post a Comment