Fashion Meets Physics: Inside KidSuper’s 'String Theory' Show in Paris

American dancer Julian Mackay, a principal at the Bavarian State Ballet, performs at the Kidsuper show in Paris. Photograph by Nicholas MacKay. 

In an engaging fusion of fashion, art, and science, KidSuper’s Autumn/Winter 2024 runway show, titled String Theory, unveiled a collection that epitomizes the brand’s multifaceted approach. Colm Dillane uses his label to push the boundaries of traditional fashion shows to offer an immersive experience. Although, this season the American designer wanted it to be all about the clothes, he still opened with a spectacular dance performance and closed the presentation with superstar Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento

Soccer legend Ronaldinho with

designer Colm Dillane at the

finale of the show in Paris

INSIDE the grey concrete shell of a building site in Paris' 9th arrondissment, at a former early 20th century telephone exchange (a favourite with designers this season), Colm Dillane created an evocative space filled with long strings hanging from the ceiling and lit atmospherically. A metaphor for the American designer's exploration of the interconnectedness of all things, it was inspired by the theoretical framework of string theory, which proposes that the universe is composed of tiny, vibrating strings that form the fabric of reality. 

Showing his mathematical background and interest in science, Dillane wanted to explore in a playful way how the contradictions between Einstein's theory of relativity and quantum mechanics suggests that the fundamental constituents of the universe are not point particles, but rather one-dimensional strings that vibrate at different frequencies. 

These strings are intertwined in complex, multidimensional layers that reveal a deeper, intricate structure. Dillane drew a parallel between this scientific theory and the essence of KidSuper, highlighting the exploration of hidden connections and underlying patterns in our world. In the show notes, the designer even had an explanatory abstract written by his dad on the front page to this effect. 

The runway show itself was a testament to this philosophy. It wasn't only a display of fashion but an experimental playground where each piece told a story, inviting the audience to delve into the layers of creativity. The atmosphere was electric, with a palpable sense of anticipation as Ronaldinho, Jim Jones, Julian MacKay, and Dermot Kennedy walked the runway. 

The show's set design was a metaphor for Dillane's exploration of the interconnectedness of all things, inspired by the theoretical framework of string theory

Rapper Jim Jones struts his

stuff on the runway in 

KidSuper creations

The show kicked off with an enthralling performance by American ballet dancer Julian MacKay, a principal at the Bavarian State Ballet, whose graceful movements set the stage for the unfolding narrative. Dressed in a ruffled black outfit, MacKay's dance was combined with the music from live violin players. Beneath the layers, the dancer revealed a suit adorned with pointillist portraits. Following the violin performance, there was a dynamic hip-hop track featuring British rapper Giggs. 

Another rapper and music producer, Jim Jones added his flair to the show, strutting confidently in a burgundy suit paired with a coat embroidered with Dillane’s whimsical sketches. However, it was the appearance of soccer legend Ronaldinho that truly stole the show. 

Clad in a voluminous faux fur coat and a t-shirt emblazoned with his own image, Ronaldinho's presence highlighted the show's blend of high fashion and popular culture, much to the delight of the star-studded audience. 

The collection offered a mix of avant-garde aesthetics and practical wearability. Originally founded on streetwear in Brooklyn, New York, the KidSuper ethos of intricate designs and artwork blend successfully with puffer jackets, shirts and jeans. Accessories played an important role in enhancing the overall look, with Boston bags, crossbody bags, and hiking boots featuring prominently. The footwear, including loafers and thick-laced hiking boots, added a rugged note to ensembles, many in the designer's favourite purple.  

Soccer legend Ronaldinho stole the show, clad in a voluminous faux fur coat and a t-shirt emblazoned with his own image, highlighting the mix of high fashion and popular culture

One of the elegant suits

emblazoned with Dillane's 

signature artwork

Colm Dillane has always envisioned Kidsupter as more than just a clothing brand. He sees it as a creative collective that encompasses various forms of art, from painting and music to film and performance. Dillane's approach to design is one of energetic enthusiasm and a belief that everything is interconnected.

This philosophy was vividly reflected in this season's runway show, which served as a platform for Dillane to showcase his diverse talents and collaborative spirit. 

The show also featured pieces from KidSuper’s latest collaboration with Canada Goose and their partnership with the NBA. These included reversible fleece jackets, puffer vests, and footwear. The commercial partnership shows Dillane's ability to merge outerwear with artistic expression, resulting in pieces that are both functional and eye-catching. 

The designer's work has garnered significant recognition, including the 2021 special Karl Lagerfeld award at the LVMH Prize and the 2022 CDFA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Dillane’s guest design role for Louis Vuitton Homme’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection further cemented his status as a rising star in the fashion world. 

For Colm Dillane, KidSuper is a platform to explore and experiment while his collaborative approach, often facilitated through social media, allows him to connect with other creative minds and bring different perspectives to his work. The AW24 runway show blended art, science, and fashion into a cohesive narrative that was both intellectually stimulating and visually appealing. 

More highlights below from the Kidsuper AW24 show in Paris, including backstage 

What was the Mantua? How a 17th-century Gown Transformed Dressmaking and Ushered in Financial Freedom for Women

Diego Velázquez, Portrait of the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain, 1653, an early version of the mantua

By Sarah Bendall, Australian Catholic University

If you’ve watched many period dramas, you’ve probably seen a mantua before. Originating in France in the 1670s, this women’s garment consisted of lengths of t-shaped fabric that were pleated to create an unstiffened bodice with attached overskirts.

This gown was worn over a pair of stays (corset) and an often contrasting petticoat. The draping and folding of fabric created a front-opening gown.

What many people don’t realise, however, is how fundamentally this item of clothing altered women’s involvement in the fashion industry – and represented a ticket to financial freedom for an industry of female mantua makers.

The robe à la française was a mantua style that featured loose back pleats that draped to the floor. The Met/Purchase, Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 1954

What was the mantua?

After its invention in the 1670s, the new gown became immediately popular among fashionable Parisian women.

Although strict dress codes at the Versailles court of French King Louis XIV prohibited the wearing of mantuas, women at the English court helped popularise it in England.

By the 1680s, the mantua was widely worn in Western and Central Europe, as well as in European colonies around the world. It soon became the basis for all women’s gowns in the 18th century.

Popular versions of the mantua in 18th century included:

• the loose style called a robe volante

• the iconic robe à la française (sometimes called a sack gown) with its back pleats that draped to the floor, and

• the tighter fitting robe à la anglaise  (also known as English or Italian gowns).

The robe à l’anglaise had fitted back pleats and was tighter compared to its French counterpart. The Met/Purchase, Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 2018

Tailors vs mantua makers

As well as changing the look of western fashions, the mantua radically changed women’s involvement in the fashion industry.

Before the 17th century, outer garments were usually made by male tailors. Apprenticeships and membership of guilds – the organisations that controlled most craft trades – were restricted to boys and men.

Women did participate informally in these professions. They sometimes worked alongside tailor family members (and some were fined for doing so) and widows were permitted to carry on the businesses of their deceased husbands.

Women had also historically worked as seamstresses or “silkwomen” making small linen or silk goods like underwear and accessories.

This loose 1730s style was called a robe volante. The Met/Purchase, Friends of The Costume Institute Gifts, 2010

However, this began to change in the late 17th century during what came to be known as the consumer revolution – a period, beginning in the 1600s, that saw a significant jump in the consumption of luxury goods.

Significantly, in 1675, women in Paris and Rouen acquired their own, independent couturière (dressmaking) guilds and began to take over making women’s clothing from male tailors.

In London, guilds with dwindling memberships also began to permit paying female members.

Due to the considerable influence of France on western fashions, women in London began to train under French dressmakers, giving rise to what were known in English as mantua makers.

Dressmaking and financial freedom

From the 18th to 20th centuries, dressmaking and other fashion or textile-related industries were the main source of formal employment for women in Britain, Australia and the United States (alongside teaching and domestic service).

New training opportunities in dressmaking – coupled with historical peculiarities such as London’s feme sole status, which allowed married women to run businesses and have finances independent of their husbands – meant many women began to open their own businesses.

Single women often lived in houses with other mantua makers and their apprentices, working as teams. Married women usually operated in workshops in the family home alongside their husbands, many of whom worked as tailors.

By the mid-18th century, manuals instructing parents on craft apprenticeships for their children noted mantua making was a large trade

reckoned a genteel, as well as profitable Employ [for women], many of them living well and saving Money.

But several male tailoring guilds in Europe attempted to stop women working as mantua makers, claiming they were taking away their business. Additionally, many women who worked in the garment-making industries were poorly paid and often worked in cramped conditions.

Mantuas were sometimes pinned up at the back like this 1690s example. The Met/Rogers Fund, 1933

Yet, many did rise above. French mantua makers were particularly popular, with women in London paying substantially more for gowns made by French women with access to the latest fashion knowledge in Paris.

Some became confidants of queens. The famous fashion merchant Marie-Jeanne “Rose” Bertin designed many of French queen Marie Antoinette’s gowns (her detractors labelled her the queen’s “minister of fashion”).

These networks gave these women access to vast amounts of clients and social capital. By the 19th century, senior dressmakers and milliners called modistes often ran their own luxury fashion houses in the West End of London.

Mantua making was also a significant business opportunity for women in Australia.

“M. Hayes”, Catherine Mellon and Martha Matthews were all “mantua makers and milliners” who advertised their services in the early years of the Sydney colony.

Legacies of mantua makers

During the early years of the 19th century, mantuas fell out of use as new styles appeared. The term “dressmaker” also came to slowly replace the term “mantua maker”.

However, the gendered segregation of labour remained. During much of the 19th and 20th centuries, men were more likely to be tailors and have their clothing made by tailors. Women were more likely to be dressmakers and have their clothing made by dressmakers. The skills and techniques of each profession remained quite different.

With the advent of modern fast fashion, the skills of both tailors and dressmakers are fast being lost, and with it the knowledge of this revolutionary trade for women.

Sarah Bendall, Research Fellow, Gender and Women's History Research Centre, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University

Paris Men's Fashion Week: Kidill's Autumn-Winter 2024 Collection: A Tribute to Punk's Unchanging Spirit and Renewed Rebellion

One of the new punk-inspired designs from Hiroaki Sueyasu new collection in Paris

Embodying the essence of punk, Hiroaki Sueyasu, the visionary force behind Kidill, not only commemorates its rebellious legacy but also reshapes the narrative for a new era. The resonance of the Autumn/Winter 2024 collection extends beyond fashion and is more of a cultural manifesto, an impassioned ode to punk's indomitable spirit, writes Antonio Visconti

Portrait of Japanese designer Hiroaki Sueyasu

IN the dynamic realm of fashion, where trends ebb and flow like the tide, Kidill's new collection emerges as a testament to the enduring spirit of punk. 

The recent passing of Jamie Reid, the iconic British artist known for his collaboration with the Sex Pistols, has cast a poignant shadow over the fashion landscape. 

For Hiroaki Sueyasu, Kidill’s artistic director, this loss marks not just the departure of an influential figure but the unraveling of a personal journey that began in collaboration with Reid for Autumn/Winter 2020.

In Sueyasu's own words, "Jamie was my very starting point." The profound impact of Reid's work and the collective influence of the early punk movement have left a void, one that Sueyasu poignantly describes as a tremendous loss.  Reid was more than an artist to Sueyasu; he was a reflection, a portrayal of the self.

Acknowledging the departure of remarkable figures who shaped early punk, Sueyasu speaks of a duty to ensure that the essence of punk, a force that has influenced our time and people, remains alive. In offering condolences that transcend the inimitable, Sueyasu declares, 'they are eternal,' affirming a commitment to immortalizing the legacy of punk pioneers.

The profound impact of Reid's work and the collective influence of the early punk movement have left a tremendous void

Punk for a new era

Sueyasu delves into the dichotomy of classic styles, recognizing the risk of becoming mere iconography over time. However, he asserts that stylized beauty has the capacity to absorb contemporary diversity and persist into the future yet anchored in the present. 

This philosophical underpinning sets the stage for the preeminent theme of the new collection: celebration of the positive energy of those who continue to breathe life into the rebellion embodied by punk.

The collection, a vibrant tapestry of DIY-inspired embellishments, prints, and jacquard weaves, crafted by Japanese artisans, serves as an exploration of the intersection between early punk classicism and the modern design ethos. 

Sueyasu pays homage to punk through deconstruction and the revival of ripped denim that is vintage and resewn, evoking the raw essence of the punk movement.

The direct message of this season’s collection resonates with the half-century history of punk, emphasizing its signature identity and attitude. Once perceived as a subculture confined to specific appearances, punk has transcended insularity. 

It has been inherited by many as a spirit of protest, propelling the evolution of a modern, independent culture. As articulated by Sueyasu, it has become a value system that respects individuality through freedom and expression.

The new collection crafted by Japanese artisans, serves as an exploration of the intersection between early punk classicism and the modern design ethos

Rebellion is the heart of punk

Sueyasu's return to the roots signifies more than a nostalgic homage; it is a channeling of origins, a rebirth and renewal of the brand. "As a matter of fact, my initial impulse and resistance remain the same." This simplicity becomes a poignant statement in a fashion landscape often dominated by complexity and change.

Born in Fukuoka, Japan, Sueyasu's journey from Omura Beauty and Fashion College to the vibrant streets of London in 2002 laid the foundation for a self-educated designer with a profound respect for the graphic artists of the punk age. Kidill, launched in 2014, draws inspiration from London punk, post-punk, and grunge cultures.

From the first runway collection in Tokyo for the 2014-15 Autumn/Winter season to the opening of the flagship store, Kidill Room, in Tokyo's Shibuya in 2016, Sueyasu's trajectory has been marked by accolades, including design awards and the governors prize for the Tokyo New Designer Fashion Grand Prix. Collaborations with respected artists include Dennis Morris, Public Image Limited, Sheila Rock, and Jamie Reid, among others.

Kidill's independent showcase in Paris since Spring/Summer 2021 and its inclusion on the official schedule for Paris Fashion Week from the Autumn/Winter 2021 underscore the label's growing influence on the global fashion stage. In paying homage to punk's roots, Sueyasu and Kidill not only celebrate a storied past but redefine rebellion for a new era. The latest collection is not just a fashion statement; it is more of a cultural manifesto, an ode to punk's unyielding spirit. 

Backstage with Timothée Chalamet in Los Angeles

Timothee Chalamet relaxes and plays the piano in LA as he gets ready for the Golden Globes in Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane.Photographs by Julian Ungano

As the curtain closed on the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, the spotlight remained on the effortlessly stylish Timothée Chalamet. While the accolade for Best Actor may have slipped through his fingers, the backstage glimpse into his pre-awards preparation reveals a star who shines just as bright offstage, writes Antonio Visconti

CAPTURED by the lens of the talented Julian Ungano, our exclusive behind-the-scenes look showcases Chalamet in the final moments before stepping onto the red carpet. Dressed in a meticulously curated ensemble by Hedi Slimane for Celine Homme, Chalamet exuded an air of understated confidence.

The embroidered jacket in wool gabardine, a striking creation in classic black, stole the show backstage. The intricate detailing and tailored fit hinted at the craftsmanship that goes into every Celine Homme piece, setting the tone for an evening of sartorial style.

Beneath the jacket, the loose shirt in cotton poplin took centre stage. In the moments before the grand reveal, Chalamet showcased how comfort and style effortlessly coalesce. The black shirt, elegantly unbuttoned, offered a glimpse of the actor's laid-back yet refined approach to fashion.

 As the final touches were added, the classic tux trousers in grain de poudre wool completed the ensemble with a nod to elegance. Chalamet's choice of black-on-black proved to be a good choice, creating a look that was sophisticated yet relaxed.

The drugstore Chelsea boots in calfskin, signature pieces from Hedi Slimane's design repertoire, added a contemporary edge and served as a testament to Chalamet's willingness to embrace avant-garde elements within traditional menswear. 

In the heart of Los Angeles, on the eve of the Golden Globes, Chalamet's backstage preparation unfolded giving a glimpse of his commitment to both craft and style. Though the Best Actor trophy eluded him and went to Paul Giametti, his Celine ensemble and the meticulous attention to detail provided a glimpse into a fashion-forward approach that resonates beyond the confines of the red carpet. As the curtain falls on this year's awards, one thing is certain: Timothée Chalamet's style steals the spotlight, both on and off the stage.

Scroll down or tap photographs to see more of Timothée Chalamet preparing for the awards ceremony.

Harmonizing Heritage and Haute Couture: Erdem's Ode to Maria Callas Pre-Fall 2024

Erdem's new collection inspired by the mid-century European world of Maria Callas

Fashion meets opera in Erdem Moralioglu's new Pre-Fall 2024 collection, weaving threads of inspiration from the legendary Maria Callas. A diva whose on-stage prowess belied a life fraught with insecurity and tragedy, Callas's voice possessed an electric capacity to project complex emotional states. While the opera singer has been the muse for other fashion designers this season, Erdem takes a more abstract approach, writes Antonio Visconti. Photographs by Sonia Szostak

One of the dreamy silk dresses in Erdem's

latest collection scattered with flowers.

Erdem's latest collection is a sartorial exploration of how Callas dressed and carried herself, drawing from the singer's style and mid-century motifs. 

The juxtaposition of structure and drapery, tailoring and organic shapes, creates an intriguing dance of contrasts, reminiscent of Fifties and Sixties silhouettes: cocoon shapes, boat-neck dresses, and felted pea coats with voluminous backs.

The overall sensation is one of decadence tempered with an austere edge. In Erdem's vision, each ensemble is a play between the controlled and the wild. A sleek black dresss with an oversized fuchsia bow, evinces the contrasts. 

Monastic dresses adorned with built-in bows and capes featuring jewel-encrusted shoulders, exude elegance tinged with exuberance. A cloqué gown, with exaggerated bows on the shoulders, showcases Erdem's masterful touch in navigating a delicate line between the extravagant and something more refined. 

A black duchesse dress, complete with a structured bustier and waist, has a sculptural quality. Whereas knits paired with mint-green draped skirts bridge both the casual and formal. Flower motifs, predominantly roses, are used as symbols, scattered across silk dresses, in blurred motion, as if caught mid-flight from audience to star. A long gown, entirely covered with hand-dyed applique roses in varying shades from red to pink, has a certain poetic expression. 

The juxtaposition of structure and drapery, tailoring and organic shapes, creates an intriguing dance of contrasts, reminiscent of Fifties and Sixties silhouettes

Roses adorn this gown inspired by the

mid-century style of Maria Callas

Silk-printed roses beneath black tulle skirts, and a black peplum suit jacket adorned with hundreds of black crushed flowers, almost camouflaged in their abundance. The collection creatively interprets the wardrobe of Maria Callas, who lived life both in the glare of the theatre and under the spotlight of high society. 

Erdem's designs blur the threshold between on and off stage making his creations very wearable along with being an homage to Maria Callas. 

The designer's own narrative has its drama, as he was born in Montreal, later traversing continents, honing his craft under fashion luminaries like Vivienne Westwood in the United Kingdom. 

His trajectory from London to New York and back, culminated in the launch of ERDEM in 2005,  Accolades such as the British Fashion Council’s Women’s Wear Designer of the Year in 2014 and an MBE in 2020 underscore his impact on fashion.

Creavity and elegance converge in Erdem's collections which are full of emotion. As Pre-Fall '24 unfolds, Erdem continues to be both curator and composer, weaving a tapestry that explores though the medium of fashion the enduring legacy of Maria Callas.

See more highlights from Erdem's collection below 

 

Four Ways to Tell the Designer Fashion Items Worth Investing in from the Ones that are not

By Naomi Braithwaite, Nottingham Trent University

Whether it’s aspiring to the “quiet luxury” or “old money” looks taking over TikTok or cringing at the “ludicrously capacious bag” scene in the last season of Succession, designer clothes and accessories have been a hot topic in 2023. But with continued sales growth in designer fashion, and concerns about shopping more sustainably, it’s worth considering investing your money in products that will last longer.

Sales in luxury fashion have increased significantly since the pandemic. Louis Vuitton, for example, has increased its sales from 2019. And British luxury brand, Burberry, reported sales growth to be 86% higher in the year following the pandemic (though there has been another dip in sales more recently).

The rise of athleisure in fashion and designer collaborations such as Manolo Blahnik for Birkenstock, Gucci x Adidas and Burberry x Supreme have made luxury more available. But prices are still high, so how can you know whether a purchase will stand the test of time and become an investment piece or a fashion flop? Here are four key factors to consider when making a designer purchase.

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1. Resale value

An expensive purchase price may not guarantee that your product will hold its value. A key factor to consider is what the resale value of your purchase will be, as this will indicate the item’s investment potential.

A fashion investment piece tends to be a luxury product with a higher price ticket. Prices of luxury fashion have increased over the last decade. Chanel bags, for example, have almost doubled in price. Chanel’s iconic medium flap bag has increased from £7,550 in 2022 to £8,530 in 2023 and is considered to be one of the most covetable designs in the resale market.

The Hermes Ostrich Birkin bag. Wen-Cheng Liu/flickr, CC BY-SA

Similarly, Hermès’ famous Birkin and Kelly bag designs, renowned for their quality, are undoubtedly investment pieces. Despite the high price ticket, Birkin bags are in demand. They are the most collectable and classic of designer bags, with an average retail price of USD$10,000 (£8,237), which can double in the resale market.

Luxury fashion resaler Vestiaire, along with online marketplaces like eBay, are useful sources for researching and calculating what the value of your purchase will be in the resale market. While designer bags can hold their value post-purchase, clothes can be less straightforward and will depend on the other following factors.

2. Quality and style

A 2023 report has stated that the overt use of logos in recent years, from brands such as Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton, has been replaced by an interest in quiet luxury.

Quiet luxury means more simplistic, classic and timeless styling. The focus on exquisite fabrics and design gives a sense of fashion that is not disposable and durable. A cashmere sweater from Lorna Piana may cost over £1,700 but its quality and classic styling will ensure it’s an investment piece that transcends fashion trend cycle.

Consideration of fabrics, styling and design aesthetic are all key in ensuring your fashion investment has longevity.

3. Brand authenticity

Heritage and authenticity can secure the value of fashion purchases. Brands that have a strong heritage – that have been around and respected for a long time – are better investment pieces, particularly in the categories of watches, jewellery and handbags. Rolex watches are renowned as investment pieces, with models that are most rare commanding the higher appreciation values.

Rolex watches are renowned as investment pieces. Enjoy The Life/Shutterstock

In the realm of clothing, Burberry’s iconic trench coat – which has remained largely untouched in design terms for over 100 years – has been reported to be a good wardrobe investment by Vogue. The trench’s timeless design, alongside its long history, has secured its place as an investment product.

However, when it comes to making the purchase it is important to go with Burberry’s original design, rather than the fashion-led versions whose value may diminish as seasonal trends move on.

4. Product endorsement

Celebrity endorsement is a popular brand strategy for increasing the value of fashion products. While it may drive sales, it is important to consider what effect it will have on investment quality.

A recent example was when the British pop star Harry Styles wore the luxe Adidas x Gucci Gazelle trainers, during his 2023 tour, resulting in a reported 100% increase in sales of the trainer.

While sneakers have previously had a bouyant resale market, that is now declining, raising questions as to whether they will continue to be positive investment pieces. Celebrities may create hype – but their endorsement does not always ensure the longevity of a product’s value.

In 1999, Dior’s saddle bag was featured on US TV series Sex and the City, securing its place as an iconic designer bag. While this increased its value and desirability at the time, the bag eventually faded from view, until 2018, when Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s current design director, relaunched it. This resulted in a frenzy of interest in the original Galliano designs.

Endorsement creates hype and desirability, but occasionally it can also create a classic too. But this takes time, and it’s best to consider other factors including brand authenticity, quality and style when planning an investment purchase.

Also, value does not always have to have a price attributed to it. In the world of designer fashion, it is important not to overlook the significance of the emotional durability of our purchases and how that can ensure an enduring value and longevity.

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.Naomi Braithwaite, Associate Professor in Fashion Marketing and Branding, Nottingham Trent University

Art Exhibition Australia: Fairy Tales at QAGOMA How We Revived these Stories with New Myths, New Media and New Quirks

Henrique Oliveira, Brazil b.1973, Corupira 2023, commissioned for Fairy Tales installation (detail) by the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane. Plywood, talumes and tree branches. Courtesy: © Henrique Oliveira. Photo: C. Callistemon © QAGOMA. 

 

By Wes Hill, Southern Cross University

Fairy Tales, the latest exhibition at Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), gives off the pleasurable hum of remix culture, artists riffing on a core theme in numerous ways.

Overseen by the gallery’s cinematheque curator Amanda Slack-Smith, Fairy Tales focuses on how artists, designers and filmmakers have taken inspiration from fantasy motifs, adapting the fairy tale vocabulary of extremes (light and dark, good and evil, rich and poor) to their own artistic needs.

Based in handed-down oral traditions, fairy tales share characteristics with all manner of fables, folk stories and mythological narratives throughout the world.

These stories, which were initially rarely intended for children (yet featured them as central characters in easy-to-understand plots), made their way into print from the 17th century.

After the coining of the word “folklore” in 1846, colonisation, advertising and the international spread of mass culture drove folklorists and creatives to praise the authenticity of localised oral traditions.

This seductively designed show at QAGOMA makes clear that, rather than fairy tales being simply preserved, the modern age revived them with new myths, new media and new individualistic quirks, from Hans Christian Andersen to Walt Disney and beyond.

Creatures in the night

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira sets the mood of the exhibition brilliantly with his gnarled and twisted woodland, Corupira (2023).

The sculpture builds slowly as you enter the corridors of the space and culminates in a meeting of massive tree branches that have burst through the gallery walls. Oliveira’s title refers to a Brazilian folk story about red-haired satyr-like creatures who, living in the Amazon forest, deceive hunters and loggers from the shadows, killing them – or at least putting any potential coloniser off course.

Henrique Oliveira, Brazil b.1973. Corupira 2023, commissioned for ‘Fairy Tales’, installation (detail), Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane 2023. Plywood, tapumes veneer and tree branches. Courtesy: Henrique Oliveira. © Henrique Oliveira. Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.

It is a great opener to the show because it metaphorically turns viewers into fairy tale wanderers, and artists into tricksters and spell-makers.

Oliveira’s work chimes perfectly with The Nightwatch (2004) by Belgian artist Francis Alÿs, consisting of surveillance video footage of a fox the artist released into London’s National Portrait Gallery (with the gallery’s permission) during the night. Alÿs’s fox continues the fairy tale tradition of depicting forest animals as actively engaging with human societies.

Alÿs self-consciously titled his work after a 17th century painting by Rembrandt van Rijn in which citizens are depicted serving as defenders and official volunteers for their city. Alÿs might be suggesting the contemporary artist is like a public servant whose job, like the fox in the video, is to intrude on the prized traditions supported by museums.

Australian artist Abdul Abdullah’s provocative photograph Troubling the Margins (from the Interloper series) (2022) follows a similar idea. Abdullah literally shows himself as a fox in a henhouse.

The artist-as-fox smiles maliciously at the viewer as if saying to the art world: “I can’t believe you let me in here.”

Abdul Abdullah, Australia b.1986. Troubling the margins (from ‘Interloper’ series) 2022. Digital print, 162.5 x 130cm; made with the assistance of David Charles Collins. Courtesy: The artist and Yavuz Gallery, Sydney. © Abdul Abdullah.

Uncanny images

One of many terrific sculptural works in the exhibition, Jana Sterbak’s Inside (1990) is an empty glass coffin seemingly pregnant with a smaller mirrored coffin inside.

A reversed imagining of life in death, the piece responds to the many glass coffins in fairy and folk tales (such as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Grimm’s Brothers The Glass Coffin), exploring the uncanny idea of death being put on permanent display for the living.

Patricia Piccinini, Australia b.1965. Enchanted Field (installation view, detail) 2023. Fairy Tales, GOMA, Brisbane. Collection: The artist © Patricia Piccinini. Image: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.

It’s not a coffin but a caravan in Patricia Piccinini’s The Couple (2018), where two realistically rendered hybrid human-animal lovers are frozen in a serene moment cuddling on a fold-out bed, their clawed feet sticking out from under the sheets.

Piccinini’s works often centre on hyperreal figures that look genetically altered. These sculptures are at their most interesting when they make viewers aware of themselves. I felt stupid for it, but I couldn’t help feeling guilty for gawking too long at the sweet-looking couple’s physical deformations.

Projected behind a huge semi-transparent curtain, an exquisitely staged installation of Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film Beauty and the Beast is situated in relation to costumes and props from its production. This and other displays of material from fairy-tale-inspired films Where the Wild Things Are (2009) and The Labyrinth (1986) are among the most engaging cinema-themed pieces in the exhibition.

The capacity of anything to intrigue

In my 2015 publication about the relationship between folk art and fine art, I argued art critics and art historians in the 19th and 20th centuries narrowly discussed oral traditions and amateur cultural creations in anthropological terms.

By their reasoning, these were artefacts that failed to live up to the special insights and feelings expected of fine art.

Gustave Doré, France 1832–83. Little Red Riding Hood c.1862. Oil on canvas, 65.3 x 81.7cm. Gift of Mrs S Horne, 1962. Collection: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

This school of thought is no longer the case. Fairy Tales is a good example of the recent expansion of art-history-based curating into larger visual culture frameworks. Clothing, relics, paintings, literary documents, installations, videos and filmic props now all cohabit the museum in non-hierarchical ways, staging not the inherent value of specific material so much as the capacity of anything to intrigue.

For a show about timeless human fears and fantasies, Fairy Tales may be curiously timely.

Fairy Tales is at QAGOMA, Brisbane, until April 28, 2024.

Wes Hill, Associate Professor, art history and visual culture, Southern Cross University