About the Award: Established to recognise and celebrate the tradition, craft and artistry of non-commercial and/or handmade paper. Paper on skin is nurturing the development of the artform of wearable paper art as a stand-alone medium. This award recognises the artist’s ability to select or handmake bespoke paper for their piece.
Donna Vo (NSW)
The Shedding
Donna Vo 'The Shedding' Image: Grant Wells Photo
About the piece
For ‘The Shedding’ Donna has used abaca paper 60gsm, hemp paper, Awagami washii (beige) and also cream, raw and white paper raffia.
The piece represents the shedding of ideals placed on a female as a child, a young adult and as a mother.
Donna has utilised handmade techniques such as embroidery, weaving and braiding – the things we share with our daughters and learn from our mothers and grandmothers.
In creating ‘The Shedding’, Donna utilised these techniques herself for the first time. During the almost 80 hours it took to complete the piece, there were phases of redesign and reworking to ensure the function and aesthetic of the outfit fulfilled Donna’s overall vision.
True to ‘The Shedding’s insightful feminist themes, the work was completed ‘interwoven’ with Donna’s busy life. She says: ‘…Some days only 5 minutes, some nights 3 hours, with multiple interruptions, late at night, early morning… during the home school with my trio of boys, while trying to move house throughout isolation and during the covid pandemic.’
Donna has also written a poem to accompany the piece, the words coming during the early hours of making when all was quiet.
Judges notes
This work demonstrates how specialised paper can be manipulated into an infinite variety of textures and surfaces. The Wonder-woman bodice is a triumph of knotted and woven with paper raffia. The gossamer cloak floats with water-pierced panels and origami triangles. The outfit is visually interesting in elegantly subtle natural tones. The wearer becomes other – a primitive princess, or 21st century earth warrior.
Yes – Awagami paper is used in Donna’s piece – but this is in no way a necessary condition for receiving the award. As the piece highlights, Awagami washi is beautiful, quality, artisianal paper.
Donna Vo
About the Artist
Donna is a Sydney-based photographer, designer and Creative Director of Donna Vo Photography. She has a BA in Design Visual Communication from the University of Western Sydney. A passionate maker since her teenage years, Donna is deeply influenced by nature, music and texture.
Donna has experimented with various mediums, but central to her approach is her love of the handmade.
An ongoing project of Donna’s is her series of story-based, collaborative photo shoots. Once the idea is conceived, Donna develops the style for the shoot and designs and creates the wearable garments and head-pieces that will feature. The results have been published in numerous magazines.
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