How Uzbekistan Inspired Designer Mohamed Benchellal
An exhibition by Dutch-Moroccan designer and artist Mohamed Benchellal, “Sculpting Past Tomorrow,” has opened at the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan.
The project is part of the public programme of CCA Tashkent, the Centre for Contemporary Art.
Benchellal is known for his sculptural silhouettes, in which clothing takes on an architectural form. His new works are the result of three and a half months spent in Uzbekistan as part of an artist residency.
During this time, the designer travelled across the country, exploring its architecture, landscapes, culture and people. However, he did not seek to directly reproduce traditional patterns or familiar symbols in his clothing. As Benchellal explains, the collection is instead the result of his encounter with the country and his personal impressions of Uzbekistan.
The designer’s approach to creating clothes is particularly distinctive. Benchellal does not make preliminary sketches or decide in advance what a dress will look like. Instead, he works directly with fabric on a mannequin, using it almost like a sculptor works with clay. The form gradually emerges through experiments with volume, proportions and silhouette.
In this way, fashion becomes a means of reinterpreting Uzbekistan’s architecture and cultural heritage through a contemporary artistic form.
The exhibition will run until November 8.
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