FW 19

Designer P. J is enchanted by the persistence, depth and melancholy of master Mark Rothko. He had always convoyed the pure human emotions in his Color-Field Painting-sorrow, silence, anger, hope…Her fascination of his later work “The Rothko Chapel” became the direct inspiration for her latest series. In the small chapel, the narrow skylight shielded the natural light; fourteen huge works , all in colors between black and deep purple, were displayed; the color blocks seemed to be floating freely in the picture, revealing a mysterious, deep and formidable light, which made the audience unavoidably face the incomparable depth of “black” and go through a tragic experience in which there was no where to hide. Rothko and his art interprets the religion of color and the chapel of art.

Rothko’s painting depicts the situation of human beings and their inevitable tragedy. He once said, “Painting has to be an enlightenment…It uses an unexpected and unprecedented method to answer to an eternal and familiar demand.” Designer P. J felt an inspirational summon. During her complicated growing experience as a female individual and her lonely groping process as an independent creator, she inevitably faces the same tragedy of life. Even the utmost euphoria will evolve into melancholy. The elimination and the integration of this boundary is also related to her long-term cogitation regarding traditional Eastern culture and philosophy.

When she transferred these pure human emotions to her own design works, she reached to a certain degree, a reconciliation with melancholy, but maintained the elements of rebellion and cogitation at the same time. Therefore, the fashion clothes hope to provide a more abundant spiritual experience that is superior to material, hence more fascinating. The design of this season adopts a large amount of black, as in Rothko’s works, in the attempt to express the complexity, depth and charm of “black”. Amidst large areas of dark tones, white, blue and gray colors occasionally float, which result in a kind of fusion and contrast. Just like Rothko’s painting, the designer attaches importance to the large-scale modelling and the ceremonial shape of the clothes, which creates a space for imagination and interpretation.

In the art world of Rothko, the spiritual symbol is far more important than the painting effect. Rothko was not religious, but his painting offers the audience a sublime religious experience. As a rather idealist successor of Rothko’s spirit, P. J has her pure dream. On some level, fashion designers are building churches or temples for human bodies, so that human beings can live in them comfortably, with their fragility protected and romantic imagination inspired.