A gown is an envelope, a second skin,
When unworn, it carries within it, the body’s absence, its memory.
We are all dressed as ourselves or as another.
Notebook 2010-2012
My sources of inspiration are clothing, thread, texture, a verb.
The body is in jeopardy.
The gesture is paramount.
Using elements inspired by nature or everyday life : matches, date seeds, bones or everlasting flowers, I weave the gowns with a gesture that is repetitive, precise and minimal ; textiles without material and the improbable fabrics that dreams are made of.
Memories entwined.
« Un corps à corps s’opère. »
Etrernal quest for the ideal gown, endless conquest of absence, unattainable or smothered body.
Each gowm represents a style, a thought. The title and texture align (both have similar origins).
The guilding force behind the gowns and their respective tilles, goes beyond style and elegance and questions instead, the eternal themes of desire, hindrance, memory, significance, absence and incarnation.
Tucked away in the hollow of a crease, in a curve of the flounce, on the back of a sleeve, is the joy of living, audacity, irony, well-being and humour :
The dress of life
« Robe flambant neuve »
Lady of the dates
Immortal’s gown
« Doux leurre de la parure face aux douleurs, lisière du dedans et du dehors ».
The realm of intimacy and sultry allure unite.
Human sized and up until now feminine, my collection of gowns is an important part of my work as an artist. I work on them on a daily basis and several more currently being created in my workshop.
Dominique Rose-Aimée Jouve