From avant-garde pieces woven from 500 abandoned music festival tents, to a wearable Axminster carpet inspired by Frida Kahlo, nothing is too extravagant for the World of WearableArt.
Wellington artist Dylan Mulder’s design is created using artificial intelligence (AI), the Fibonacci sequence, and merino wool.
But despite what Mulder sees as a partnership between himself and technology, he wasn’t able to list his computer as a co-designer on the entry form.
Visitors can make up their own minds, seeing his garment and 34 others up close in a new exhibition at Te Papa, opening today after Covid-19 delayed it, called World of WearableArt – Up Close (Ao KākahuToi – Kia Tata).
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World of WearableArt designer and 2019 Aotearoa section winner Dylan Mulder with his design, Natural Progression, which was co-designed by artificial intelligence.
The exhibition features garments that have appeared in the world’s most significant wearable art competition, usually presented as a stage show which was this year cancelled due to Covid-19.
Instead, visitors can now experience the intricate detail in an intimate display, from today until February 14.
Visitors will enter a series of unique environments, filled with colour, light, and sound, featuring the garments as they’ve never been seen before.
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Many of Mulder’s successes have come off the back of WOW, and his achievements at the competition; an internship with Cirque du Soleil, for one.
Mulder’s Natural Progression won the Aotearoa Section and Wearable Technology last year.
AI merges with Maori design, the dress the product of a computer algorithm based on the Fibonacci sequence, for which Mulder provided the parameters – a human body – and then took an average of all the possible designs the algorithm provided.
“I got to have some really interesting conversations, and I wanted to embrace my Māori heritage.”
The competition had been pivotal for Mulder over the years, a “great platform to demonstrate my innovation, and that’s been identified by powerful companies and people which has fed into my career”.
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Mulder’s design incorporates elements of his Dutch and Māori heritage, an exploration of both while also including the tools her uses in his work with artificial intelligence.
His background was as an industrial designer. He had previously worked at Weta on costume design for the Hobbit, and off the back of WOW won an internship to Cirque du Soleil, which opened his mind internationally.
“This year I’ve been doing a lot of AI development and growth. I explored tattoo growth where it can grow tattoos on your arms.
“Now I’m working with Soul Machines, a New Zealand-based company, creating AI-driven 3D characters.”
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The exhibition is showcasing past favourites from World of WearableArt competitons.
Te Papa chief executive Courtney Johnston said the exhibition showcased global creativity, and Kiwi ingenuity.
“WOW garments really are a labour of love. In this exhibition you can see every intricate detail and read how the maker conceived and crafted their garment.”
Alongside the exhibition, Te Papa will offer a series of special events, including floor talks, dinners and high teas.
The WOW Awards Show will be back in 2021.
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Many of the designs are returning to New Zealand from overseas exhibitions.
By the numbers
- More than 35 award-winning works of wearable art
- 8 countries of origin: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, United States.
- 18 garments from New Zealand designers
- 500 abandoned tents used to make Woven In-tent
- The World of WearableArt was founded in 1987
- 6 Supreme WOW Award-winning garments in the exhibition
- Includes garments from 18 years of World of WearableArt
- Tickets are now on sale at worldofwearableart.com/wowupclose. Adult $22.50, child $7.50, family (2 adults 2 children) $52.50, concession $19.50
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