Varnish by AMIR AL KASM

Varnish

Varnish is a collection that captures the representations of Jesus Christ by Renaissance painters, and delves into the different techniques that the artists of that era used to translate the ideology of the Christian faith. One of the most prominent features of this collection is the recognition of the different elements that went into the natural pigments used to create those historical pieces of art, and their integration in the garments. Minerals like Zinc, Titanium, and Cadmium were main constituent of natural pigments of that era. These are applied in this collection through experimentations with melting and reshaping metal to place as embellishments fixed on the garments. Another main ingredient of natural pigments, Silica, was a starting point of random strokes of Silicon on fabrics, adding a unique texture. Beading and felting were used to mimic the texture of crackled, aging paint on murals and paintings.  

Cuts present in the collection are neat and precise, yet bold with silhouettes borrowed from landmark archetypes of the Christian faith; angels and nuns. The color selection is a palette of the characteristic oil colors; wine red, olive green, and pearl white. The fabrics are a contrast between the lightweight feminine and the heavy masculine, in indication of the contrast between the realities of the passion of the Christ, and the romanticism of the paintings that depict it. Sealing it all in, the sheen in the embellishments of this collection is the signature ingredient that Renaissance painters relied on to preserve and add a shine to their masterpieces; varnish.