Pass me the basket...
Laundry as Medium
hang on- by helga stentzel
Russian visual artist helga stentzel has added a new magical creation to her clothing line animals series. Titled hang on, the art piece transforms laundry into a whimsical polar bear illusion that aims to raise awareness on climate change while unveiling a tree-planting initiative for every print purchased.
“If my work encourages others to learn more about this amazing, strong-willed mammal, I’d be very happy.” -helga stenzel (designboom)
See
Art using laundry is not as uncommon as you would imagine! These artists have used clothing to create images that are expressive and surprising.
Look at stentzel's simple but spot on clothesline animals. Instead of tossing an old pair of pants or T-shirt, helga stentzel puts her tired garments out to pasture.
"Smoothie" by stenzel
“Pegasus” by stenzel
Noah Scalin's works may initially appear as scattered piles of clothes, but from the right perspective, they reveal absorbing portraits of figures like Helen Keller and Maggie L. Walker. These sculptures, spanning around 30 feet, explore the theme of transience, delving into the temporary nature of individual lives and the fragile existence of humanity on Earth. (highfructose)
Portrait of Helen Keller by Noah Scalin
Portrait of Innovation: James Conway Farley* by Noah Scalin
From above, you can see the length of the piece stretching out along the floor. Standing on the floor at the right spot, everything falls into place.
*James Conway Farley was the first African American to achieve prominence in the photography industry, was born in 1854.
Say
How does changing the intent of everyday laundry imbibe it with character and perhaps meaning?
How might using laundry help the viewer tap into the artistic experience?
Scalin makes paintings, collages, sculpture, conceptual art in addition to his laundry portraits. Why might laundry have come into his repertoire?
Do
I stare at things longer than socially acceptable! It can be anything – a chair, a noodle hanging off the fork, a lamp post in the middle of the road… observation is a form of meditation for me. I really enjoy studying colors, shapes and textures – with no expectation, simply admiring their unique beauty. very often there’s nothing more to it, but sometimes – BOOM! – a creativity lightning hits my brain, and it makes a link between sliced bread and wrinkled skin of a french bulldog. It’s very unpredictable! -helga stentzel
Try stenzel’s type of meditation. What do you notice? Are you inspired??
See how Scalin created the portrait (Lean more about Scalin)
Amid the COVID pandemic, art teachers worldwide illustrated creativity by encouraging students to use household items for projects. A fun trend emerged as students recreated famous artworks using everyday materials like laundry. Challenge yourself to create some laundry art!
About the Artist: Helga Stentzel
Helga Stentzel is a Russian-born artist based in London, UK. She works across a wide range of media including illustration, photography, video and stop-motion animation. Helga received "food art creator of the year" award in 2020 and has collaborated with BBC, Honda and O2, among others. A St. Martin’s alumna, Helga worked in the advertising industry and ran a children’s clothing business before becoming a full-time artist.
“To me, household surrealism is about finding magic in the mundane, seeing beauty in imperfections, and connecting to our reality in a new way. I love noticing playful similarities - be it a sweater on a clothing line looking like a horse or a slice of bread resembling a dog’s head. It’s only the starting point, though. From this moment onward, the stories and visuals start buzzing in my head: What will this horse look like? What’s her name and character? Does she like racing with other horses? - the list goes on and on!
I hope that my art will help people to connect with their inner child and rediscover the joy of savoring little visual delights in and outside their homes.” www.helgastentzel.com
Join Wonder Mob, a community of ‘wonderers’ like you! We are now offering events and classes to foster your sense of wonder!
