Vlaanderen. Kunsttijdschrift. Jaargang 63

[p. 26]

Clara Jungman Malmquist

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First there is an idea floating and brewing in my head, mostly for weeks, and then there is the urge to turn it into a project. It can come from listening to a radio program, an exhibition, a word or even just a technique I want to use. Then I start gathering all the information on the subject matter I can get and join it together to the original idea. For example, this year I had the concept ‘paint by numbers’ in my head and I knew I wanted to work with the layering and cutting out technique used in the indigenous art from Panama called ‘mola’. From there painting by numbers became layering and cutting by numbers and the landscapes of a ‘paint by numbers’ painting became colourful cut-outs in fabric. The mood in the end is always determined by the type girl or wotman I imagine wearing the clothes, and there is always something a bit off, suburban.

I always wanted to make clothes. From the research to the drawing to the making, it has all the components I like. Even though fashion is meant to be worn, there is a huge amount of freedom in it. I knew of the school's good reputation which made it very attractive for me to come to Antwerp. After studying four years at the Academy I understand why it's such a good school. It is a hard process, we work hard, but I have learned so, so much and I doubt I would have found a better fit for me in another school. In the near future I want to work with a group of people, in a company or a project. Making your own collection from start to finish in school can be very isolated work and now I would like to try out the opposite, being a ‘link in a chain’ for a while. A constant and ambitious wish has always been to have an atelier of my own, with all possible machines and materials, where I could experiment and do whatever I want. Future, far or near?

[p. 27]

[p. 28]