“Monuments and Human Vulnerabilities”
Concept | What do historical monuments say about humanity? Over the course of time, humans have built various monuments to eternalize time and memory. The stones and chunks of metal represent permanence and stability, as well as the human desire to be remembered past their brief lifetime. Yet despite what they stand for, monuments invite ruin through neglect and erosion, ultimately conveying the futility and vanity of our wish for eternity. Monuments serve as a link between the past and the present, but they also stand apart from history, as surreal, foreign objects of beauty, disconnected from both realities. This collection is inspired by the Yugoslavian monuments scattered along the landscapes of Eastern Europe, which tell the story of the forgotten socialist country, Yugoslavia. The crude concrete and the sharp geometry of the brutalist structures stand in stark contrast to the natural landscape. The garments draw from this imagery, with the cold and almost monochromatic color palette, and the stiff forms of some pieces juxtaposed with the soft gathers and pleats.
Bio | Yoonju/Chloe is a designer and artist, currently residing between three places: Chicago, Singapore, and Seoul. She is in the process of completing her BFA in Studio with an emphasis in Fashion, Body, and Garment at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.