Developing Asylum Staff/Society Styling

Chester Psychiatric Nurses
(Bradford, 2017).

After discussing my primary research of Victorian asylum nurses with Sebastiane, I decided to focus on the nurse's muslin cap (left nurse) to develop it into a more intimidating headdress used to conceal the identity of the asylum staff/society figures I want to incorporate was the red cross as many asylum nurses wore this on their uniform, giving the viewer an insight that these phantom figure represent the haunting asylum staff that She morphs society into. I want to incorporate these aspects from my primary research to create the avant-garde styling for the ghost-like figures in my film.

(FairestForce, n.d.)

The image above shows a victorian nurse wearing a long muslin cap as part of her strict uniform. There were slight differences in the nurses uniform to reflect their position, for example maroon cuffs; however all nurses wore very similar uniforms in soft blues and greys making them almost look like clones of each other. The image above shows specifically a military nurse, however it was common for asylum nurses to wear the same headpiece, which was used primarily for hygiene reasons and to keep the hair off the face.   http://www.fairestforce.co.uk/13.html

(VisualizeUs, 2017).

After researching many different oversized hood designs I chose the one above as my main inspiration because of its high impact, unique curved design and stiff structure. I felt too many design looked like a wearable hood that was oversized; whereas this design looks more avant-garde and edgy. If the nurses' muslin cap was flipped forwards and increased in size, it would make a similar shape, solidifying the link between how victorian asylum patients felt discriminated against and how victims of discrimination view society. The extended hood shields the model's identity, overshadowing any hope of individualism, reflecting the danger of society becoming clones of one another. 

(Hughes, 2013).

This oversized hood will be incorporated with the phantom figure above, engulfed by a mass of draped black material. I have continued the inspiration taken from this image from my project proposal as I think completely smothering and covering the person's identity to create this ghost-like figure sparks the fear of the unknown, allowing the viewer to imagine the person who is personally discriminating against them; it feeds their imagination. 

All images: (Garzon, 2012).

Visual artist, Rebecca Horn, inspired my use of body extensions. Her body extension work explores the balance between the human body and the space around it and how extensions of the human form can alter the body's interaction with the surrounding world. Horn's work is abstract and ambiguous, allowing the viewer to interpret different meanings and messages. This inspired me to add an extension escaping from inside the hood, emphasising how even though people in society like to shield themselves from discrimination and hate, they are always reaching out to strike their next victim.

I initially thought of using face masks under the black material to create disguised facial silhouettes, together with a neck extension and a covered face mask so a silhouette of a face is visible appear from the depths of the hood. This would have reflected how people in society have always got their heads in other people's business, ready to make quick judgements and unfair assumptions. However I felt this was slightly cliche with the use of face masks. I therefore took inspiration from Horn's sharp finger gloves (middle) to represent the painful, aggressive effects discrimination has on its victim. I want the spikes to be reflective, like razor sharp spears, reflecting discrimination's painful hate and intimidation towards its victim. The spears will protrude from under the hood and be scattered throughout the body emphasising that discrimination can be verbal or physical. The spears also represent how a person who discriminates must be damaged themselves to treat people in such a negative light as they go out of their way to cause others pain. The physical extension of spears emphasises the message that this hatred can be removed and banished to reveal the pure person beneath, but that person has to realise their ways before a world free of discrimination can be unveiled. 

I will be making this styling myself so will need to make a list of materials and a detailed plan of action. The materials to be bought are as follows:

- Sharp spears

- Face mask (to attach spears to)

- Black elasticated material

- Black tights (to cover face)

- Black tread and sewing kit

- Fabric scissors

- Structured black material (for hood)

References: 

BRADFORD, 2017. British Nursing [viewed 14th February 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/307230005814810774/

FAIRESTFORCE, n.d. The Fairest Force: 7. Uniform [viewed 27th February 2017]. Available from: http://www.fairestforce.co.uk/13.html

VISUALIZEUS, 2017. Designed by Qiu Hao - F/W 2011 'Serpens' [viewed 27th February 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/318911217349766656/

HUGHES, D., 2013. VEDAS: GARMENTS AND SPACE DESIGN BY NICHOLAS ALAN COPE & DUSTIN EDWARD ARNOLD [viewed 27th Janurary 2017]. Available from: http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/vedas-by-cope-and-arnold/

All images: GARZON, M., 2012. Rebecca Horn: Body Art, Performance & Instillations [viewed 27th January 2017]. Available from: http://www.marthagarzon.com/contemporary_art/2012/07/rebecca-horn-body-art-performance-installations/