PREVIEW ART
, l ,, Above left: in Leonel Moura's EUROPA series, European lipureheads are reduced to the level of criminals bya sinister blacking out of their eyes; above right: Andre Jasinski's ghostly portraits were taken in a Belgian coalmine (both pictures at Portfolio Gallery). Below: Venetian architecture revealed, birds in Sarajevo snapped by Pierre Valet and an excerpt from the world's first guide book.
Clothes show
Carl Honore’ enjoys a catwalk tribute to architect Robert Adam (1728—92).
The bald model saw it coming. Decked out in resplendent 18th century garb, he shuffled up and down the catwalk, squinting at the bright lights and sulking like an adolescent doing chores for the old lady next door. I reckon he knew the prize would go to the silliest item in this 94-piece fashion show.
Sunday night in a church hall in Glasgow. Cardboard pillars and garden backdrops adorn one end of the T-shaped stage jutting into the crowd. There is dry ice and the music flits between Mozart and Top 40. The 150 seats are filled with dolled-up young things and doting parents sporting handycams. It’s a sartorial homage to architect Robert Adam.
The reproductions are sumptuous. Pink velvet jackets, rich black breeches, deep green waistcoats, peach satin dresses, floral blouses,
1' painstakingly embroidered cuffs, .- collars and lapels. Everything that makes period plays and films such a delight to watch. Torn between pouting into the middle distance and winking at friends, the first-time
models carry the extra weight with glee. The crowd swoons and whistles. 18th century people were astonishingly unwashed, but they had style. Can you imagine Louis XIV saying ‘L’Etat, c’est moi‘ in a grey suit?
The modern interpretations draw the loudest applause. The shapes do evoke the Enlightenment but naked skin, leather and bright colours hold sway. The red-dotted court jester ? outfit and some of the short,
billowing skirts are especially
arresting.
With so much colour on offer, Pam
fi Hogg hands the overall prize to an unwearable and gothic Hallowe‘en
: costume: thigh-high leather boots, leather hot pants, thigh pouches (all grey) and a triple decker black wig. Peering through a black mask, the model performs a teetering victory lap along the catwalk. Vive la monochromie! Ugh. No wonder the g bald guy looks miffed. (Carl
Honoré)
A European Vision: RobertAdam's
Glasgow is at the Collins Gallery until I
l 23 Dec.
The List 4317 beams“ 1§§2 51