Intropia
For people who identify as introverts the act of interacting with people can become quite cumbersome. Anxieties can be triggered and vulnerabilities exposed. An introvert prefers solitude or interacting that is one on one rather than in a huge crowd. Also the idea of an introvert as turning inside itself and containing emotions and protecting from outside reactions. In a society that promotes extroverts those who gain the most success, introverts tent to be looked at as socially inept. The rise of celebrity culture and reality TV portraying the loudest and most outgoing of people as this is what is seen as the ideal personality. Intovertness is not a condition but a temperament. What about the idea of reflection and solitude? Most introverts consider this a time they feel most comfortable in their skin.
I’d like to explore the idea of inward reflection within a garments structure. A type of protective outer garment that gives a protective surface and cocooning effect. The protective surface will be leather serving as shell. The cocooning design reflects the idea of a pod and the solitude that is experienced inside.There will also be a hood on this dress that will add an additional comfort of shielding the minds from inward though. The illumination will occur between the wearer and the inside of the garment.
The dress will simulate and introverted reaction when the wearer is faced with a social interaction. Using an infrared sensor to sense body heat of someone within a certain range (about 3 feet) it will trigger electro luminescent wire inside the dress. The reaction to the interaction will be the inside of the hood and in the slits around the dress. This will illuminate between the body and the dress focusing the light inward and spilling out in the slits and on the side of the head. Since the dress is made out of moldable leather the light will not pass through the material and only through the openings. By using EL wire it will create more of an inner glow than a directional light. The interaction scenario will take place in a public space to gage the reaction of the dress when confronted with crowd or passer by’s.
I’d like this piece to visually and symbolically reenact the emotions of solitude and need for reflection that an introvert would go through on a daily basis. Also I’d like there to be a symbiotic relations ship with the wearer and the dress although the reaction in coming from an outside source the “reaction” is inward reflecting to the introvertness of the situation.
I’d like to explore the idea of inward reflection within a garments structure. A type of protective outer garment that gives a protective surface and cocooning effect. The protective surface will be leather serving as shell. The cocooning design reflects the idea of a pod and the solitude that is experienced inside.There will also be a hood on this dress that will add an additional comfort of shielding the minds from inward though. The illumination will occur between the wearer and the inside of the garment.
The dress will simulate and introverted reaction when the wearer is faced with a social interaction. Using an infrared sensor to sense body heat of someone within a certain range (about 3 feet) it will trigger electro luminescent wire inside the dress. The reaction to the interaction will be the inside of the hood and in the slits around the dress. This will illuminate between the body and the dress focusing the light inward and spilling out in the slits and on the side of the head. Since the dress is made out of moldable leather the light will not pass through the material and only through the openings. By using EL wire it will create more of an inner glow than a directional light. The interaction scenario will take place in a public space to gage the reaction of the dress when confronted with crowd or passer by’s.
I’d like this piece to visually and symbolically reenact the emotions of solitude and need for reflection that an introvert would go through on a daily basis. Also I’d like there to be a symbiotic relations ship with the wearer and the dress although the reaction in coming from an outside source the “reaction” is inward reflecting to the introvertness of the situation.
