Jum Nakao – Paper Couture

Art, costumes, design and animations, Jum Nakao channels his output into various directions, but often uses fashion as common denominator. Even when can be considered as”oldies”, these marvellous paper couture might be some of the most stunning artwork the Japanese-Brasilian artist came up with so far.

“A costura do invisivel”, which approximately could be transpated as “sewing the invisible” is a project, Jum Nakao created for the Paper-Fashion exhibiton at Moma. With incredible love for details, he created those amazing paper dresses which were torn down by the models during a presentation on a runway.

No explanation needed for how the audience was shocked.  But the artist takes it easy:
“All of my works, for example the paper-made “A costura do invisivel” fashion line , have a playful relationship with the spectator. This lightness is necessary to get a distance from reality and a connection with the invisible, with people’s imagination, to let them see it from a different perspective – a less realistic one.

These works lack concreteness and a clearly defined form, which would not allow the spectator’s personal interpretation. I see them more as an interface, so whoever looks at them participates and is able to find its own meanings(…)”

If it was really necessary to demolish the paper gowns to get the audiences participation – i doubt. But only, because my fainthearted mind is hardly able to comprehend how an artist is willing to spend weeks on create incredible artwork, just to let it go.

But probably, it was just this very conventional thinking, that motivated Jum Nakao to end his show with this disturbing act of demolition.

Thankfully, he at least shot some great pictures to let me remind his stunning, temporary paper couture.

Photos by Sandra Bordim via Jum Nakao. Others about Jum Nakao: Juli et sa Mode, Within Focus, Fashioncu.be.