GOWNS – 2019-2020
Rad Hourani’s "GOWNS" series delves into the intricate interplay between dress, power, and identity. Historically, attire has reflected societal standing, with royalty dictating dressing standards to assert superiority. Sumptuary laws enforced these standards by regulating fabrics, colors, and styles, reserving luxurious items for nobility to distinguish their status from the lower classes. Different cuts and textiles have served as sociopolitical markers, distinguishing between classes, genders, and statuses. Rad's sculptural gowns envision a world governed by conscious equality, challenging these historical precedents.
Traditionally, attire has enabled categorization by class, gender, and status, but Rad's creation champions inclusion. Using noble materials such as fine silks, velvet, and sequined textiles, each gown utilizes 30 meters of exquisite fabric. These ceremonial vestments, both alien and familiar, blend ancient artifacts with architectural form, inspiring respect through their splendor. Much like the regal gowns of the past, Rad’s ensembles evoke a sense of awe and reverence.
Rad's vision reimagines a fair ruling class, secular and unidentifiable. The sculptures feature Rad Hourani’s signature genderless anatomy, erasing and encompassing all genders, and are accessorized with masks that conceal the wearer's identity. By veiling all human identifiers, the ensembles present themselves as cryptic, powerful entities. The absence of identifiable features heightens their power: the fear of the unknown and the incomprehensible becomes the ultimate tool of influence.
These "GOWNS" challenge traditional notions of power and identity, promoting a dialogue on equality and the societal constructs that define us. Through Rad Hourani’s masterful use of material and form, the series stands as a testament to the transformative potential of attire in reshaping cultural narratives and advocating for a more inclusive future. The pieces invite us to reconsider the dynamics of power, encouraging reflection on how clothing can transcend its role as a marker of division to become a symbol of unity and equality.
© RAD HOURANI
All rights reserved. No part of any information, images, or artwork located within this site may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted without the permission of the copyright owner.
GREARTH – 2019-2020
Handmade of approx. 30 meters of silk, dimensions variable - Edition of 1
PUREPLE – 2019-2020
Handmade of approx. 30 meters of velvet silk, dimensions variable - Edition of 1
EVERBLACK – 2019-2020
Handmade of approx. 30 meters of silk, dimensions variable - Edition of 1
BLUSEA – 2019-2020
Handmade of approx. 30 meters of satin silk, dimensions variable - Edition of 1
PERFORMANCE at Fonderie Darling - 2020
Since 2005, Rad Hourani has applied principles of architecture to invent gender-neutral patterns, working from the premise of how each costume will move with the wearer. The filmed ensembles, crafted with movement in mind, were fully showcased through a choreographed performance, allowing the sculptures to evolve through dance. The tribal roots and implications of dance liberate the body from constraints of dress and culture. As such, panels open up, enabling performers' legs to spread and arms to raise in commanding gestures, moving fluidly. While ceremonial togas and robes often restrict movement, Rad Hourani's GOWNS, coming alive, represent a liberated way to live, allowing the wearer to feel as though they are their own ruler.
Through ritualistic expression, dance manifests energy in the performer, allowing them to embody it. The hands move simply and steadily through forms boundless in meaning yet suggesting fixed symbolism through their aesthetic and delivery. The interpretation of these non-conventionalized, non-religious gestures is left to the viewer, promoting individual thought and the realization of personal expression's power beyond formal ritual. As the choreography progresses, the dancers' controlled, stiff behavior loosens, creating a narrative of evolution and liberation. As their energy flows through each other, authority fades, and nobility transforms into a union of knowledge.
2:00 MIN WATCH PERFORMANCE
© RAD HOURANI
All rights reserved. No part of any information, images, or artwork located within this site may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted without the permission of the copyright owner.
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