Awarded The Weekly Planet's "Best of the Bay Award" for best fashion show in 2005
Interview in Orange Magazine about "Wearable Paintings"
December 13th, 2006
ART TAKES SHAPE
By Rachel Moran
Christian Dior was very successful last year with painted cotton crewneck tees where the artistic element was evidently separate from the design element, yet artists use the term "wearable art" when they branch into fashion. Why not call them "clothes" and let them prove themselves as art?
I don't think of them as clothes as much as I think of them as paintings. Or perhaps, it's a matter of my continuous struggle with the label of fashion designer, since I've always loved and hated fashion at the same time. Part of me wants to climb my way to the top of that glowing kingdom, but part of me wants to tear it all down from the inside.
One of your prior successes involved the idea of dead dolls, which is a little strange, since dolls aren't alive to die in the first place. You've also said one of the inspirations for your present work is that paintings get "lonely" and need to be taken out. Why do you personify art so incongruously?
Mainstream models, dolls and zombies have a lot in common in the first place. The "doll" aspect refers to the frilly, disgustingly adorable stuff that I like to make, but it also refers to the models, comparing them to something pretty, plastic and detached. Dolls are trapped in time, because they do not age. They have the shape of young girls, but dress like sexually mature women - much like 10-year-olds today who adore mainstream fashion. Dolls are something infinitely creepy and beautiful to me. As far as the "lonely paintings" idea, I don't have actual pity for artwork, as much as a desire for the audience to treat it in less of a fearfully worshipful manner.
How much did you have to change the ideas in your paintings to fulfill clothing design principles?
When I make larger paintings, I cut them down to fit the clothing design. Some of the image gets lost, but something new is created. All the pieces of the painting eventually get used. I've always approached clothing construction as if it were sculpture, something I was "building." The whole concept of clothing is bizarre. We're wearing false skins, covering ourselves with someone else's ideas. The person wearing my paintings becomes part of my artwork. I have living, breathing, walking, talking paintings all over the place.
Favorite Article Excerpts:
From an article by Olga Robak, for the Oracle (February '06):
"Orianna Kurrus has the world at her feet. As an artist, she's one of the top emerging personalities of Tampa Bay. At the young age of 24, she has achieved local celebrity status by landing on the cover of Weekly Planet and winning a spot in the paper's Best of the Bay for a fashion show in which she took part."
click here to read the full article
From an interview in Orange Magazine, by Greg Caracci (October '06):
"She has participated in 10 shows during the past year and a half, often alongside other unconventional designers like Frank Strunk III and Carly Champagne. Kurrus’ themes have ranged from models decked out as zombie dolls to troupes of gyrating cowboy bunny rabbits.
Orianna Kurrus: "Whenever people ask me what my genre is, I usually say ‘crack head.’”
click here to read the full article
From an article by Wendy Withers, for Tampa Bay Muse (September '06):
"While others use subtle methods to push the envelope, Orianna's world is filled with severed doll heads, little girls spilling blood all over their poofy dresses and, apparently, cowboy bunnies in assless chaps. Orianna is one artist who gives her models almost full control of what they do onstage. Greg Caracci, one of the bunnies, enjoyed the freedom of his role. "I thought it was a hoot, and it allowed me for me to be a sort of grand, disgusting caricature I only slightly resemble," Greg said."
click here to read the full article
Past events:
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Lead Designer / Organizer for the
"Living Art + Live Music" Runway Event Fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs (helping underprivileged children). Mary Help Center, Tampa FL January 26, 2007 Boys and Girls Club Website Lead Designer / Organizer for the Drum + Bass Festival's runway show Cuban Club - Ybor, FL December 16, 2006 www.cubanclub.org "Dancing Dolls" Living Art Runway Event Proceeds went to C.A.S.A. (helping victims of domestic violence). Sacred Grounds - Tampa, FL October 27, 2006 information on C.A.S.A. www.sacredgroundstampa.com "Art For Life" Benefit Fashion Show All proceeds went to "Project Return" & Aids Research at St. Joseph's Hospital. St. Lawrence Catholic Church - Tampa, FL September 30, 2006 www.artforlifetampa.org "Wearable Art II" 2nd annual runway show at DFAC. Runway show and artwork display. Dunedin Fine Art Center - Dunedin, FL August 5, 2006 www.dfac.org "Santa's Heroes" Fashion + Gallery Show One of three designers. "The Bank" Night Club - St. Petersburg, FL December 10, 2005 www.atthebank.com "Dead Dolls" Runway Show & Performance Solo fashion show, Part of an all-day horror movie fest Tampa FL October 15, 2005 http://halloweenhorrorpictureshow.com |
"Static Fashion" Runway & Gallery Show
combining art + fashion in various mediums Oliver Gallery - Tampa FL October, 2005 images from all artists involved "Total Risk" traveling art show with "Studio In Your Eye": City as Museum, in which public spaces are used to bring innovative art directly to the community. Public areas - Gulfport, FL October/November, 2005 StudioInYourEye.com “The Show Must Go On!” Benefit Show for victims of Hurricane Katrina, featuring paintings and artwork donated by FL artists. Vitale Gallery - St. Petersburg FL September, 2005 vitalegallery.com "Wearable Art" Runway Show voted "Best of the Bay" for Florida fashion shows. Dunedin Fine Art Center - Dunedin, FL July 29, 2005 www.dfac.org "Ladies Room" night of fashion + artwork, featuring work by only women artists. Runway show and artwork display Vitale Gallery - St. Petersburg, FL May, 2005 vitalegallery.com The Loaf Presents: RED HOT crumb-lovin' "My Brief and Insignificant Romance with the Vulture God" display of one 16-foot painting Covivant Gallery, Tampa FL April/May, 2005 www.covivant.com |
Press:
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