WEARING CITIES is a site-specific exhibition presented as part of New York’s NYCxDESIGN, a city-wide event. An artistic collaboration between a visual artist, a sound designer, a fashion designer, and a videographer, the show was held at Industry City, in Brooklyn, NY, May 10 – 20, 2014.
“I experience myself in the city, and the city exists through my embodied experience. I dwell in the city and the city dwells in me.” Juhani Pallasmaa, architect and author of “The Eyes of the Skin”
“Seul le rythme provoque le court-circuit poétique.” Léopold Sédar Senghor
WEARING CITIES is a multi-media art project, directed by visual artist Simo Neri, in collaboration with sound designer Jun Mizumachi, fashion designer Eunhwa Kim, and filmmaker Gabrielle Lubtchansky.
During NYCxDESIGN 2014 we invited the public to experience cities through art as a subjective, sensorial, cognitive mapping tool. We invited them to feel the rhythmic quality of a city.
Every city has a unique, recognizable presence: particular color palettes, smells, sounds. Ordinary urban details that we take for granted enter our consciousness subliminally, and we try to make sense out of this chaos. We become aware of the city’s unique pulse.
Finding inspiration in the complex sensorial environments of cities like New York and Paris, Simo Neri produced a number of original works in the form of photographic compositions. These are printed on a variety of “soft” media – canvas, silk, and vinyl. These “cities” can be worn, hung, walked on, or stepped through.
Cities encourage collaborations among fellow city-dwellers.
Jun Mizumachi captures sounds from his environment, and then breaks them down or re-invents them digitally, creating original compositions that express the varying moods of city life. Experience the power of sound over the imagination.
Eunhwa Kim translates two-dimensional patterns into living, moving forms that can be worn as symbols of belonging. A special wearable theme, « Inside/Outside », was worn by a random selection of city dwellers and presented in an original video by Gabrielle Lubtchansky.
This exhibition describes the progression of a particular design theme from original artwork to derived product.
Garments from the “Inside/Outside” collection can be ordered, custom designed and manufactured to size. Prices upon request. Delivery within 4-5 weeks.
Traffic Jam, Traffic Rolls, and Talking Wall at Industry City
Talking Wall at Industry City
digital print on canvas
40 in x 197 in
Inside-Outside collection
Talking Wall
silk organza and silk crepe reversible vest
Trash at Industry City
digital print on canvas
59 in x 79 in
Trash and Talking Wall
canvas vests prototypes
Trash, silk crepe shirt
Paris Perspective at Industry City
digital print on canvas
53 in x 79 in
Paris Perspective, silk crepe shirt
NY Perspective at Industry City
digital print on canvas
53 in x 79 in
NY Perspective, silk crepe shirt
Metro at Industry City
From the High Line
at Industry City
Walking at Industry City
digital print on 10 silk panels
35.5 in x 119 in each
General view of
Wearing Cities exhibition
from east end of Industry City
Traffic Rolls, Traffic Jam,
Talking Wall and Trash
at Industry City, looking west
Walking,
video and wearable prototypes
in background
Wearing Cities video,
Industry City
Silk scarves and hanging wearable prototypes, Industry City
Grids, reversible raincoat
hi-tech waterproof fabric and
silk twill lining
Road, reversible raincoat
hi-tech waterproof fabric and
silk twill lining
