Welcome to my World
A series of other-worldy eye wearables inspired by fantasy-fiction books and film.
When I was six years old, I struggled to read the blackboard in school for a number of weeks and eventually my proficiency in reading and writing began to deteriorate. Following numerous visits to a weird and wonderful place called the ‘Optometrist’s’, I was informed that due to Myopia (near-sightedness) and Astigmatism I would need to wear some strong glasses to correct my vision. The Optometrist’s was a fascinating place, crammed full with whirring machines, colourful lights and letter charts. Unlike other children my age, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every visit to the Optometrists. My imagination enhanced the experience as I transformed the ophthalmic and optometric equipment into ‘Scientific Microscopes’, ‘Submarine Periscopes’ and ‘Colourful Kaleidoscopes’.
Following my diagnosis, I spent hours choosing my very first pair of glasses in the Opticians. I settled on a pair of bottle-green, hexagonal, wire frames; they were cool and quirky, I loved them. However, when I returned to school and was incessantly teased about my glasses; I retreated into fantasy books and film, where my fictional hero’s such as Harry Potter and Clark Kent wore spectacles with pride. The fantastical, imaginative worlds of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings etc. encapsulated me in alternative world.
‘Welcome to my World’ aims to encompass both my interests in the stigma attached to glasses and the world of fantasy-fiction.
Through a series of imaginative Diary Entries, I have narrated a futuristic, fantasy-fiction world in which eyewear is not just an accessory but a necessary form of protection. I have visually illustrated this dystopian, desolate world through drawings, prints and collages in my notebook with inspiration taken from a multitude of sources including books, film, television and the urban landscape.
To enhance my chosen narrative, I have made a series of ‘otherworldly eye-wearables’ from pieces of scrap metal; manipulated hardware, jewelry and wire, all form the basis of each pair of spectacles. Every pair of glasses is unique, different from the last and unlike any other. The careful construction of each pair of glasses has made me act as an Artist, Scientist and Optometrist in my imagined world.
My methodology has thoroughly satisfied me as a textile-artist. I enjoy manipulating found-materials to create artwork; by bending, twisting, attaching and altering metal pieces and placing them in an alternative context, I have given them a new purpose. As I like to work quickly, creating a series or multiples allows me to use a process of trial-and-error to physically develop my ideas through active-making. As I am not precious with my work, I find that having multiples allows for further exploration and experimentation which enriches my scientific process.
I have an infinite number of aspirations for ‘Welcome to my World’ which derive from unanswered questions I have encountered this semester. What if I alter the materials I use, could I make soft-textile eyewear or 3D laser cut plastic spectacles? How might I change the scale of my eyewear collection, could I make some larger avant-garde pieces or a tiny inconspicuous monocle? In my research, I am baffled by technological advances and how Virtual and Augmented realities could bring my imagined world to life.
I have only touched upon the possibilities for this project, expect plenty more weird and wacky experiments to come and ‘Welcome to my World’!
