Kirry Toose is a fibre artist who describes her art practice as ‘…both traditional and intuitive, often a personal response to a subject matter or theme. Creating art using the human form as a canvas is my trademark with all its ensuing challenges both in design and technical abilities, defines me’.
Kirry is a founder and convenor of untethered fibre artists Inc., driven passionately to assert textiles as an art form in the contemporary art field. Her longstanding educational and practical undertaking in art wear, and subsequent installation work are optimistic in their intent and essence, towards destructing the perceived barriers of fibre and using the body as a display.
She works with a variety of processes from traditional pattern making techniques, screen printing, and collage to new technologies in machine embroidery and digital media. Working at the intersection of art and design, her garments are often a reflection of a singular changing theme that speaks to the female ideology.
Of her Paper on Skin journey, Kirry says: ‘I like to believe I am the ‘imagineer’, in having the ability to implement ideas, with the added limitation of the practicality of being showcased on the body… The challenge in creating for Paper on Skin ‘threw down’ this gauntlet, with unseen discoveries being made through the exploration in the practicalities of creating a durable, wearable and somewhat practical garment has/is a thrilling dare!
Life unfurled… is inspired by an Edward de Bono quote: ‘A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen.’
Kirry says: ‘One’s life is based on human connectivity, informed by time, family, friends and environment. Each of us has a story to tell, a story to cherish, our stories and memories are what make us human, gives us purpose and intent. The intent was to acknowledge the complexity and the hidden in one’s life narrative.
The multi layering of Kozo is representative of a life, the lost and the found, the meaningful language, sheets of ‘paper’ floating at whim, on a breeze.... the palimpsest of life. The garment is asymmetrical, heavily boned to keep the silhouette to underpin the disjointed and deconstructed paper layers, yet visually subtle in its tonal content, creating a hidden intricacy, a life story.’
Materials: Kozo/mulberry paper, vintage dictionary pages, packing cardstock. Unbleached calico, silk organza, synthetic boning, memory wire. Machine digitised, appliqué, handstitched, screen printed, hand painted.
Kirry on INSTAGRAM