Mended collection pieces found in the Museum Depot combined with first exploration of 'gemstone' under patches
In the 10th anniversity year of our collective brand Golden Joinery, Painted Series was invited to develop a workshop for Dutch Open Air Museum/ Openluchtmuseum Arnhem as part of the yeartheme ‘Choices define your Course!’ (‘Keuzes bepalen je Koers!’). Starting from researching repaired garments from previous centuries in the museum’s depot, we realized once more how clothes for long were considered a treasure and therefore well taken care of and if necessary mended with love.
Fascinated by the technique of underpatching, we developed a way of healing where a hole or tear in your garment turns into a gemstone by use of your own hands! In GOLDEN JOINERY we play with the notion of forming a fashionbrand of garments with golden scars -- the gemstone patches made throughout this year at the museum workshop will together symbolize a treasure.
We researched the principle of underpatching a tear in a garment. Similar techniques can be found in other cultures under the name Mola or Reverse Appliqué, often used in a decorative way.
For this workshop to be given by the crafts coaches of the Open Air Museum, we developed several elements;
- a research on the development and meaning of mending clothes from 1850 till present
- The rise of Visible Mending, well described in both word and image in the book MEND! by Kate Sekules
- An apron to be worn by the craftscoach, showing the different steps Van Gat Tot Schat / Hole To ‘gemstone’
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