it’s part of the art

‘Venus of the Rags’ is an artwork by Michelangelo Pistoletto. When I was around 15 years old, my family took a trip to Paris. Instead of spending time at Disneyland (like we had done years previously), I was intent on experiencing more of the city and living out my Parisienne dreams. I wanted to explore art galleries, taste French food and walk by the Seine. Of course, we also visited the typical tourist spots which included the Louvre - where ‘Venus of the Rags’ stood on one side of a grand hallway. 

‘Venus of the Rags’ by Michelangelo Pistoletto, 1967. [images from: https://publicdelivery.org/michelangelo-pistoletto-venus-of-the-rags/] 

It was my first real experience with contemporary sculpture. After trudging through endless marble statues and dark toned paintings, she was a somewhat perplexing breath of fresh air.

I remember noticing the huge pile of clothes first, and the marble statue second. To begin with, I naively thought someone had dumped their clothes in the gallery. I asked my dad why they were there and he said something along the lines of ‘it’s part of the art’. 

At the time, she reminded me of my mum doing the laundry. Now, I view the sculpture in a different light - representing overconsumption and waste, a contrast of untouchable beauty and everyday chaos, or a merging of history and modernity. 

Over ten years later, ‘Venus of Rags’ is the title of my online platform where I hope to share my work, design services and maybe even sell my own clothing one day. ‘Venus of Rags’ encompasses my interests in sustainability, fashion, art and culture, with a name that can be interpreted and applied in different ways - as a mythical character, a symbolic nickname or an exciting new brand.