Susie MacMurray, Widow.

This garment is constructed from black nappa leather and has around about 100,000 or 43kg of silver adamantine straight pins, Widow is the fourth in a series of garment sculptures by acclaimed artist Susie MacMurray, exploring aspects of female identity and vulnerability.

I saw this when i visited The Gallery of Costume at Platt Hall last weekend. In my opinion this piece of art is truly beautiful in a off sense of the word. Because generically you wouldn't class pins as pretty you would class them as practical. But here on This nappa leather they look really stunning. And on the day i was at the gallery, sun was just streaking through the windows and the pins were catching the light and making the dress almost dimly glisten in the room.

I can also see how Susie MacMurray has explored parts of female identity and vulnerability, because the leather is soft but the pins are sharp portraying the front or outer shells some women shroud themselves in. Its also shows the aspect of strength because one pin on its own can easily be bent but thousands of them are strong as one. The way the dress cascades down onto the floor how one thing can seem small but grow and spread to be something bigger.

During my visit i did also look at everything on display at the gallery of costume. so there will be some more posts up soon about the other many beautiful pieces and garments i saw.

Also what do you think of this dress? i can't imagine pins being very comfortable to wear can you?

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Labels: manchester gallery of costumes , pins , platt hall , Susie MacMurray