Valkyrie Miss Dior
The techniques habitually explored by Joana Vasconcelos – sewing, knitting, crochet –, typically associated with the feminine realm of artisanal savoir-faire, contrast with the giant and visual character of her work specially conceived for Dior. The Portuguese artist has participated in major international exhibitions – such as the 2005 Venice Biennale where her socially engaged installation (The Bride) was presented. In 2018 she was honored with a solo retrospective at the Bilbao Guggenheim. She was also the first woman artist to be exhibited at the Château de Versailles, in 2012.
Maria Grazia Chiuri wished to create a dialogue with her about Catherine Dior, Monsieur Dior’s sister, a strong, independent female figure, a member of the French Resistance, who devoted much of her life to the florist trade. In her collections, the Creative Director often pays homage to Catherine, a veritable model of female emancipation.
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Her monumental work dreamed up for this Dior event occupies the space in an almost tentacular manner. Its free form, organic, from which it feels impossible to escape, is composed of fabric, lace, embroidery and crochet compositions, including "islands," where the audience is invited to sit.
...THE MAKING-OF
© Adrien Dirand © Joana Vasconcelos © Laura Queyras