ARTISTRY
85. Objects of Art
Very few artists who work with fabric compare
with Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The Gates
and other projects like it set the standard when
it comes to art for art's sake. In addition to the
rationale behind these acts of art the daunting
scale and the finite period of time in which they
exist make them both one of a kind and once in
a lifetime. What can the fashion designer take
from this?
Most designers would be hard-pressed to make
this a way of life, but engaging in the art of fash
ion with pure intentions can become the catalyst
for a host of valuable results, including aesthetic
explorations and starting dialogues with other
designers.
What are the criteria for judging something
a work of art? Does it elicit an emotional re
sponse? Does it challenge the observer to look at
the world in a different way? Is it simply beauti
ful? When it comes to the art of fashion, the only
conflict with the traditional defi nition of fine art
is that a garment no matter how extraordinary,
does serve a purpose beyond just being art.
176 Fashion Design Essentials
The Gates by Christo and
Jeanne-Claude (1979-2005)
