Cosmic Leafy Sea Dragon - the film
Svenja works from her home studio in Brisbane, where she lives with her husband and unwitting 'Patron of the Arts', Matt. A previous World of WearableArt® addict, as of 2019 she has had thirteen garments accepted into the iconic New Zealand competition and show, with nine being exhibited at the World of WearableArt® Museum, and three permanently remaining in the Museum Collection. In 2017 she graduated from TAFE Brisbane with her Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology. Svenja continues her studies each year by participating in textile art workshops across Australia.
She finds inspiration in the natural world, and this is strongly reflected in her works. In 2018, Svenja received the paper on skin Betta Milk Major Award of $5000 for her work Lichen Morphology. Most recently in December 2019 she spent 5 weeks on King Island studying kelp and the shoreline as part of an artist residency fostering a change in direction of her work from wearable to low-relief wall and sculptural work.
Of this year’s entry, Svenja says: The Leafy Seadragon has always intrigued me with its delicate, decorative appearance. Taking inspiration from it, I have created my first large-scale, papier maché – over-armature, wearable art work. Great artistic licence has been taken in many ways, particularly with colour, although the organza ‘eggs’ on the limbs, usually carried on the male’s tail, are indeed a pinky/orange in nature. This is a very static, sculptural representation of a creature usually exhibiting undulating, flowing motion.
Materials: Wire and aluminium armature, metal hinges, papier maché (butchers paper), honeycomb packing paper, rope paper ribbon, egg cartons, plastic water bottle (snout), cardboard, metallic paper, acrylic paint, shibori-shaped organza, lycra bodysuit.
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