Cutting, reorganisation, and reassembly are critical methods, used to create performative textiles and collage for the body. The works involve fluid arrangements of shapes and negotiations of space and material.
This exhibition is a work in progress showcase that reveals the construction of new performance textiles for a dance production. The works are part of an ongoing collaboration between fashion and textile designer Donna Sgro, visual artist Clare Britton and choreographer and dancer Kristina Chan. Recently completing a research residency at Critical Path, Australia's leading centre for choreographic research and development, the exhibition shows part of this process. Featured are works on paper and textiles designed for the notion of an evolving body. A live performance of cutting new textiles will take place during the exhibition in the gallery space. Cutting, reorganisation, and reassembly are critical methods, used to create performative textiles and collage for the body. The works involve fluid arrangements of shapes and negotiations of space and material. The textiles are made by Sgro using her method called Dynamic Cutting. This method is part of her ongoing research into experimental forms of garment cutting using textiles. Drawing inspiration from the close observation of dynamic forces in nature, specifically through studying how caterpillars turn into butterflies, this work of cutting explores concepts of growth and transformation. Sgro will work in the space throughout the exhibition creating textiles that redefine body image, form and expression through cutting. The resulting textiles and images will evolve further as prompts for future choreographic development. Collage works are presented alongside the performative cutting to reveal how an exploration of stage imagery will inform further development of the work.
Donna Sgro
Donna Sgro is a fashion and textile designer and artist based in Sydney. In her practice, she explores transformational processes which are found in natural phenomena and translates these through garment and textile works focused on methods of cutting. Donna has exhibited nationally and internationally, in fashion weeks and gallery contexts. Her work has been shown at the Science Museum London, Renault Technocentre Paris, SXSW Austin, Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo, the Powerhouse Museum, the Taiwan Science Education Centre, and Museum of Fibre Arts Taiwan. She works as an academic in the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney and holds a PhD in creative pattern cutting (RMIT University).
Clare Britton
Clare Britton is interested in Australian landscapes, collaborative practice and creating images that are visceral and sensory. Clare’s development as an artist has been practice-led; actively freelancing as a designer, dramaturg and director - including developing work as Co-Artistic Director of acclaimed performance collective My Darling Patricia for over a decade. A Sidney Myer Creative Fellow (2014), Clare holds a Masters of Studio Art (2016). Currently, Clare tutors in the School of Design at the University of Technology, Sydney and is a PhD candidate at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney completing her research project, A Week on the Cooks River.
Kristina Chan
Kristina Chan is a dancer and choreographer with an extensive dance career performing throughout Australia, Canada, UK, USA, Asia, Israel and Europe. Kristina’s choreographic practice explores environmental change, our relationship to nature and the impact that we are making on our planet. Her work includes A Faint Existence (Performance Space’s 2016 Liveworks Festival of Experimental Art Carriageworks, Sydney Opera House UnWrapped 2018 & Dance Massive 2019); MOUNTAIN (Campbelltown Arts Centre 2017/18); Summer (Contemporary Dance Company Hong Kong 2018); Conform (Sydney Dance Company, Ludwigshafen Germany and Carriageworks 2015); Dance North’s Communal Table Brisbane Festival 2019. Kristina holdsa Helpmann Award (2011) and two Australian Dance Awards (2006 & 2009) for Best Female Dancer and the Peggy Van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship 2017.
This exhibition is a work in progress showcase that reveals the construction of new performance textiles for a dance production. The works are part of an ongoing collaboration between fashion and textile designer Donna Sgro, visual artist Clare Britton and choreographer and dancer Kristina Chan. Recently completing a research residency at Critical Path, Australia's leading centre for choreographic research and development, the exhibition shows part of this process. Featured are works on paper and textiles designed for the notion of an evolving body. A live performance of cutting new textiles will take place during the exhibition in the gallery space. Cutting, reorganisation, and reassembly are critical methods, used to create performative textiles and collage for the body. The works involve fluid arrangements of shapes and negotiations of space and material. The textiles are made by Sgro using her method called Dynamic Cutting. This method is part of her ongoing research into experimental forms of garment cutting using textiles. Drawing inspiration from the close observation of dynamic forces in nature, specifically through studying how caterpillars turn into butterflies, this work of cutting explores concepts of growth and transformation. Sgro will work in the space throughout the exhibition creating textiles that redefine body image, form and expression through cutting. The resulting textiles and images will evolve further as prompts for future choreographic development. Collage works are presented alongside the performative cutting to reveal how an exploration of stage imagery will inform further development of the work.
Donna Sgro
Donna Sgro is a fashion and textile designer and artist based in Sydney. In her practice, she explores transformational processes which are found in natural phenomena and translates these through garment and textile works focused on methods of cutting. Donna has exhibited nationally and internationally, in fashion weeks and gallery contexts. Her work has been shown at the Science Museum London, Renault Technocentre Paris, SXSW Austin, Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo, the Powerhouse Museum, the Taiwan Science Education Centre, and Museum of Fibre Arts Taiwan. She works as an academic in the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney and holds a PhD in creative pattern cutting (RMIT University).
Clare Britton
Clare Britton is interested in Australian landscapes, collaborative practice and creating images that are visceral and sensory. Clare’s development as an artist has been practice-led; actively freelancing as a designer, dramaturg and director - including developing work as Co-Artistic Director of acclaimed performance collective My Darling Patricia for over a decade. A Sidney Myer Creative Fellow (2014), Clare holds a Masters of Studio Art (2016). Currently, Clare tutors in the School of Design at the University of Technology, Sydney and is a PhD candidate at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney completing her research project, A Week on the Cooks River.
Kristina Chan
Kristina Chan is a dancer and choreographer with an extensive dance career performing throughout Australia, Canada, UK, USA, Asia, Israel and Europe. Kristina’s choreographic practice explores environmental change, our relationship to nature and the impact that we are making on our planet. Her work includes A Faint Existence (Performance Space’s 2016 Liveworks Festival of Experimental Art Carriageworks, Sydney Opera House UnWrapped 2018 & Dance Massive 2019); MOUNTAIN (Campbelltown Arts Centre 2017/18); Summer (Contemporary Dance Company Hong Kong 2018); Conform (Sydney Dance Company, Ludwigshafen Germany and Carriageworks 2015); Dance North’s Communal Table Brisbane Festival 2019. Kristina holdsa Helpmann Award (2011) and two Australian Dance Awards (2006 & 2009) for Best Female Dancer and the Peggy Van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship 2017.
