Amare Elementorum
Dorothy Jones and Victoria Cates are proud to announce their collaborative show, Amare Elementorum, premiering at Bespoke on April 29th.
Over a dozen brand new pieces of Dorothy’s classic, elegant couture have been enhanced and embellished with Victoria’s rich, intricate hand embroidery. The show will be up for all of May, but you won’t want to miss the premiere party on April 29th from 6:00-9:00. Early press for the show has been outstanding.
Here’s what they each have to say about the collaboration:
Victoria
Amare Elementorum is a symbiotic juxtaposition – a turbulent affair – of organic botanicals and inorganic elements. Maritime artifacts and terrestrial structures. Vibrant embroidery and subdued design.
The goal is to bring together design forms and textures that at first might seem awkward or alien, but under the right circumstances come to life in a loving vibration – a new kind of harmony between the elements.
This idea is manifested through the concert of my densely embellished, whimsical hand embroidery and Dorothy’s clean, tailored silhouettes and refined elegance, which function as vehicles of bright color and intriguing texture to highlight this strangely beautiful affair.
In the Cabinet of Curiosities tradition, each piece dons its scientific Latin name and is presented as a specimen worthy of close observation.
Dorothy
Poor, naked humans. No stripes, scales, or feathers, and only a paltry amount of fur.
But we are splendid in our imaginations and clever with our hands, so we borrow the colors of insects, flowers, and birds; adapt the forms of carapace, wing, and fin; and steal the opulence of fur, fiber, and skin. We apply pigments to our flesh, fabrics to our forms, and all manner of purloined glory from the natural world. We each become our own wunderkammer.
Victoria’s intricate embroideries are a stunning condensation of natural form and color. I have created garments to accompany and amplify each exquisite image. These pieces are homage to the natural world, made to grace the human form. Fashioned from silk, wool, linen, and cotton. Colored with root, insect, berry, and twig. Formed as natural symmetries, spirals, fractals, and waves.
While a testament to form, our work never forgets its function. It is, above all, meant to clothe us in wonder.
We will try to get there!
I’d love to come to your show!
Ooooh, can’t wait to see!