Yingyi Chen · CLIENT: Sculpture studio
The Metamorphosis is a handcrafted garment inspired by the ideas of mutation and evolution. The design is based on exaggerated animal skeletons shaped to fit the human body. The resulting forms suggest a cross image of human and animal. The garment is made of biodegradable plastic, leather and hair. The plastic is scrap material that is hot pressed with hair to form a fabric. The leather and hair are recycled from studio leftovers and barbershop waste. Arm, hand, front, back and foot parts can be removed and reassembled for easy wear and later replacement.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- In concepts of mutation and evolution,this design are based on exaggerated animal skeletons and designed to fit the body which is grounded in a unique visual interpretation of animal anatomy, building upon existing skeleton structures to create it that appear as natural properties of the human body, suggesting strength, power and sensuality—a cross-image of human and animal, an atemporal, supreme creature, beyond past and future.The design was handcrafted with degradable plastic, leather, hair.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 520mm Width x450mm Depth x 1200mm Height
- Tags
- Mutation, Metamorphosis, Leather, Plastics, Body
- Production Technology
- The metamorphosis of human was made of degradable plastic, leather and hair. Biodegradable plastics are scrap materials provided by relevant manufacturers.Then apply the hot pressing technique and add the hair to form the fabric; Leather is the leftover material in the daily use of the studio, which is stitched after recycling. Hair comes from barbershop waste. As time went by, the work was finally broken down completely.
- Design Challenge
- First, how to express the texture of human skin in the future is an important problem. Second, the joints of the fingers, the part of the tail, the bulging part of the back, these details are a polyhedron, the model is more difficult to make.
- Project Duration
- The project started in January 2020 and finished in March 2020 in China.
- Operation Flow
- Each part of The metamorphosis of human could be disassembled and reassembled, for example, The arms, hands, front, back, and foot ornaments. This is for ease of wear and tear, freedom of movement, and the ability to replace or add parts in the future, thus achieving a process of constant renewal and evolution.
- Research
- The production process of this work is just like that of sculpture. In the process of human birth-development-metamorphosis, it is continuously ground, bent and processed. This process is the transformation from the original ape-man to the "synthetic material" of modern man. I have studied the medical aspects of the human body, and I have learned about the evolution of human beings in various ways in ancient times, such as the stage from crawling to standing upright. These studies and experiments laid the foundation for the project.
- Inspiration
- "What began as such a simple form has evolved, and continues to evolve, into the most beautiful and wonderful of infinitely many forms." Charles Darwin said.Concepts of mutation and evolution are explored in order to develop a contemporary cross-image of human and animal, an atemporal, supreme creature, beyond past and future.All of the objects were handcrafted.Leather and hair are form recycling. Eventually this design was broken down into a new cycle.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: photographer Zhiming Li, Model Quansi Liu, 2020
Image #2: photographer Zhiming Li, Model Quansi Liu, 2020
Image #3: photographer Zhiming Li, Model Quansi Liu, 2020
Image #4: photographer Zhiming Li, Model Quansi Liu, 2020
Image #5: photographer Zhiming Li, Model Quansi Liu, 2020 - Patents
- Copyright to Yingyi Chen
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