// Estate Dress (1) //
Tiffany Gordon crafts ornate couture pieces using metal and paper. As she says, "I create 'conceptual clothing' that holds a visual memory of a specific time period and person in history. My goal is to capture [...] the feelings of the individual who experienced those events." The bulk of her work draws on the story of Marie Antoinette, both as a historical figure and sociocultural icon. Each creation encompasses a rigid feminized moment.
From Gordon's description of Estate Dress: "Marie Antoinette as a child, was instructed to play with commoners, and taught to take part in outdoor activities, which was unusual for the aristocracy of the time. The dress is less restricting than others, allowing for freedom of movement and relaxed motions. It embodies her idea of life as a peasant, and her orders to construct le Hameau de la Reine on the grounds of Versailles, to serve as both leisure and a reminder of her childhood. Additionally, it shows her naivety in thinking such a detailed dress would be worn by the common people." [Bold added.] There's more background info on Wikipedia if you're interested. (Here's a snippet: "The Hamlet was part of Marie Antoinette’s estate, and she enjoyed dressing as a young shepherdess and acting like a peasant, while surrounded by the comforts of a royal lifestyle.")
I can't resist adding a few direct portraits of the femme flagrante. Marie Antoinette at 16, when she was still Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria:
// via Wikimedia //
And even earlier, at 12, looking just like we all remember her, but long before her reign began:
// Estate Dress (2) //
// Auto Safety Glass Corset //
That last piece isn't related to pre-revolutionary Rococo France, but it's actually my favorite so I had to include it.
I came across Tiffany Gordon on deviantART, but she also has a website and Facebook page.
I came across Tiffany Gordon on deviantART, but she also has a website and Facebook page.
What a rich imagination. To live in an idyllic, glamorized playworld untouched by the realities of life with an escapism that's more unreal than real. No wonder people still envy her today. Thank you for introducing me to this artist.
ReplyDeleteYeah, she's one of the historical figures who is an enduring symbol. I'm glad you enjoyed the art!
DeleteWow :-) Such beautiful creations! I like the context for them, too - enables one to just sort of stare at them for ages, letting the mind drift over the task of trying to imagine someone else's thoughts and experiences.
ReplyDeleteIt's a big task, but so interesting! I find that most artists don't explain their works to the degree that Tiffany Gordon does, and that makes the experience different.
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