DONT WALK: ASCENT – A Review
By Claire Ferguson
St Monan’s Bowhouse underwent a dreamy-techno makeover for DONT WALK’s latest annual charity fashion show on the eve of the 18th of March. A U-shaped runway filled the venue, framed on both sides by elevated viewing platforms, which were reserved for the VIP and corporate guests. The centrepiece of the stage: a round monitor used to display graphics, transformed throughout the show with each new collection. At 8:30 sharp, flickering spotlights immersed the audience in a sea of violet. The show’s on-screen logo was replaced by a video montage that consisted of Rorschach-esque abstract forms. The in-house music quickened in pace, urging the guests’ attention towards the stage – the show was about to begin. The models emerged and their steps synchronised with the pulse of the speakers. The sudden urgency of the runway was reflected by the audience, whose anticipatory chatter was quickly replaced by an eruption of cheers. Their suspense was met with an impressive entourage of avant-garde looks, offering an exciting glimpse of what was to follow.
Photography by Tate Sedwick, DONT WALK: ASCENT, models: Tom Kennedy and Sam Robinson
Photography by Tate Sedwick, DONT WALK: ASCENT, models: Live Håvik and Victor Gerner Lopez-Roso
For the duration of the two-hour show, the attention of the audience never dwindled. High-energy performances from the models worked to maintain the excitement from the audience. Head choreographer Tom Kennedy sought inspiration for this year’s movements in the performative elements of Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2020/21 – leading him to ask of his fellow models: ‘Girls, be honest with me, who can run in heels?’ Thankfully, his experimental vision was realised during the introduction to ‘ASCENT,’ where models recreated similar juxtapositions of motion and pace. Additional highlights included a solo ballet performance and a steamy tableau vivant during the lingerie section – described by Kennedy as a ‘renaissance’ scene. Models were asked to differentiate their walks with each garment, to reflect the vision of the looks they presented. With edgier looks, he gave them a very specific movement to abide by: ‘a very crazy, over the top moment - but they nailed it.’ For more formal looks, he says, walks should be ‘less bouncy, more grounded, smoother.’ Kennedy’s words reflect the committee’s enduring attention to detail. Behind seemingly minor details, whether it be lighting, sound, or performance, lies an abundance of creative inspiration.
Agnes Lawrence Pelton, Ascent (aka Liberation), 1946, oil on canvas, Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, New York
Allegra Tenenbaum, the DONT WALK’s creative director, drew inspiration for this year’s theme, ‘ASCENT’ from artists Hilma af Klint and Agnes Lawrence Pelton. One painting served as muse: Pelton’s 1946 painting Ascent (aka Liberation).The work demonstrates Pelton’s signature technique of glazing: a laborious method of applying many layers of oil paint on canvas. The result? An ethereal luminosity - now seen as a beloved ‘Peltonian’ characteristic. Central to the composition rests an abstract cloud of smoke which transforms into a diamond. The shape is a recurring symbol for the artist, who often utilised star and triangular forms as symbols of spiritual guidance. The form moves upwards towards a pale-yellow sun, aided by swirling trails and clouds of smoke. Pelton communicates her spiritual revelation, and her strive towards ascendance.
Photography by Tate Sedwick, DONT WALK: ASCENT, model: Samantha Floyd
The atmospheric effects of DONT WALK’s latest fashion show successfully paid homage to the Pelton, Ascent (aka Liberation) – imitating the composition’s bright purple colour palette and clouds of smoke on the runway. In the latest publication of DONT WRITE, Kara Devlin reflects on the artistic intent of af Klint and Pelton. Devlin explains of their work: ‘No image was made without intention behind it.’ DONT WALK emulates the artists in this way, through the creative intention they devoted in each element of this year’s show. Their highlight of af Klint and Pelton comes at a time of a pop-culture revival for both female artists, each of whom were not previously well-known. Their wide-ranging catalogue of designers, which placed emerging student designers alongside multi-million-dollar brands, further invited recognition and celebration of creative talent. DONT WALK’s continued adherence to art as a source of inspiration contributes to the execution of powerfully elevated student fashion shows that continue to surpass the norm.
Notes:
Devlin, Kara. ‘Spiritual Inspiration: Paintings of the Soul’, DONT WRITE
Ferguson, Claire. ‘An interview with Tom Kennedy’.
Whitney Museum of American Art. Ask a Curator: Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalisthttps://whitney.org/media/47971