BEHIND THE ARMORS

 Have you heard about the FORGING ARMORS project, an initiative entirely dedicated to upcycling? This innovative concept weaves together elements of painting, fashion, environment, and sustainability. At its core, the project thrives on repurposing existing clothing.

In a world often fixated on exhaustive collections that chase fast fashion trends, leading to vast amounts of textile waste—where a staggering 30% or more is discarded without ever being used—FORGING ARMORS takes a different path. Initially a deeply personal endeavor, the project stemmed from my desire to meld my practice with a performance context. The notion of FORGING ARMORS became a metaphor for a second skin, a protective shell to confront, provoke, and intervene in social conflicts while bolstering my inner strength and self-esteem.

Remarkable experiences unveiled how these symbolic armors resonated with people, prompting a shift in the project's direction: crafting armors for others, fostering dialogues, and extending the project to new places and diverse experiences. These exchanges brought a fresh impetus to the project.

The project now revolves significantly around investigating how art can redefine our perspectives on dressing, consumption, and the insecurities surrounding self-image—both for myself and others. In the creative process of FORGING ARMORS, I harness second-hand clothing as blank canvases, infusing them with vibrant life and using colors as a medium to transform them into living, symbolic works: armors brimming with new meaning and serving as tools of empowerment."

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"Here, I am thrilled to present a collection of armor crafted in various countries across the globe, chronicling my artistic journey and experiences. This compilation brings together works created from 2018 to the present day, showcasing the evolution of my craft and the diverse cultural influences that have shaped these pieces.

Fotos: https://www.franziskafrutiger.com/

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