This past weekend was very eventful. I got to hang out with friends, spend time with my boyfriend, and even visited a really unique art exhibit at The Kaneko called Florabunda.
When I entered the exhibit I was so surprised to see the variety of Hawaiian "Aloha" shirts hanging from the ceiling and around the main floor. I couldn't stop looking up and around. The details and the colors on each shirt and the way it was all put together was pretty awesome. On the walls they had posters, giving a mini history lesson on how hawaiian shirts came to be and their significance today.
Did you know???
- Silkscreening is used to create bold outlines of tropical flowers and leaves
- Kapa or tapa which is the common fabric used in Polynesia made from fibers from mulberry tree, is the most notable of influences on Hawaiian fabric design. The use of bold background colors with solid white stencil-like flowers and leaves and the classic white floral design is commonly shown.
- Fabric designed and printed in Japan was available and was the primary fabric that Hawaiian shirt makers used.
- Throughout time, shirt makers changed tints and colors to produce variation
- Border shirts are designed with the seam lines and the center of the design in mind. They are usually vertically oriented and have patterns that run through the length of the shirt. They are expensive and a great deal to manufacture.
- Merchant Ellery Chun was known to make the first commercially produced Hawaiian shirts in the mid 1930's.
- Popular fabrics used were cotton, rayan, and silk to name a few.
I overall had a great time visiting this exhibit. I learned a lot about the fibers and the processes used in the production of Hawaiian shirts made in the early 1920's and 30's and the movement it created establishing the surf and beach look and style. Although this exhibit showing is over, you can view more about this and other exhibits on the Kaneko website.
From LA, With Luv
Fati <3
No comments:
Post a Comment