Pia Interlandi

Pia Interlandi
Australia
Time of residency June - August, September 2009

Within moments of our birth we are wrapped in the culture of clothing, and whilst fashion and ritual are an integral aspect of our living existence, this research investigates the role of fashion and clothing at the end of life and beyond: from the ‘grave to the cradle’.

In almost every human culture, when an individual is prepared for burial or cremation, their body is dressed in a garment. A garment that will literally and symbolically become part of the body as it decomposes. But if we are no longer dressing for our mind or our body, what are we dressing for? What consideration is involved in the fashioning of death?

Observing ‘eco’ trends in both the apparel and funeral industries, transformational processes including decomposition, dissolving, and reincarnation will be explored in order to create a series of garments that explore the relationship between garment and [deceased] body.

Aiming to embody notions of ‘life cycles’ and the philosophy of ‘cradle to cradle’ design, the garments and textiles will be used in conjunction with performance and ritual, eventually to be used as proposed alternatives for internment.