New Life Dressing 2/ The Believer

New Life Dressing is a three-part series in which Siv Støldal explores the role clothing plays during our ever-changing lives and the different journeys we embark upon. Each project within the series has developed from intimate interviews conducted by Støldal with carefully selected individuals.

Throughout our lifetime, we evolve and communicate in many ways, taking on different identities and gradually becoming the sum of our past expressions, although many of these can ultimately be hidden from view. The series sees Støldal specifically investigating the connections and meanings clothing can convey as part of physical, spiritual and emotional life changes.

New Life Dressing 2/ The Believer examines clothing in relation to inner journeys, faith and spirituality. This was inspired by Støldal’s candid exchanges with one particular man whose clothing has notably adapted or changed direction during different stages throughout his life. During the interview, they discussed his changing values, personal experiences with faith, participation in different religious communities, superstition, and the use of symbolism in everyday life. Further topics of conversation included the ways clothing manifests itself when entering or leaving a particular religious community, the differing emotions one attaches to certain garments, and everyday interpretations of strict dress codes.

Støldal was captivated and inspired by the ways the interviewee has changed his personal style in tandem to defining moments from childhood, adolescence and adulthood. From the hippie tie-dye or preppy-wear of his youth, to the cashmere coat and expensive Italian designer labels - signalling wealth - when he was older. All of this was later flipped by his embrace of disciplined yoga lifestyle and related head-to-toe orange clothing. This era was followed by his enthusiasm for hiking-wear and a wardrobe of durable outdoors-y attire.

Such differing versions of our past selves inevitably form our present-day guises. This realisation, as well as her growing awareness that personal experiences can reveal universal commonality, led Støldal to question this notion further. What we might look like if we wore all our identities as one multi-layered outfit, peeling back layer by layer, with previous styles and self-expressions duly revealed? These thoughts instinctively connected to her ongoing involvement in the space between a conceptual exploration of clothing and the commercial high fashion retail market. For Støldal, there is a real power in converging concept-driven pieces with clothing that can potentially become part of everyday life.

Støldal’s deep interest in men’s tailoring heightens her interest in ‘codes’ built into a garment through volume, fabric, pockets and seams. This line of enquiry is continued within The Believer collection, further enhanced by plant-dyeing techniques and the use of fibres boasting healing properties, along with healing crystals, and accessories crafted from other natural materials such as rocks. The compelling results of these thinking-and-making experiments now include classic over-sized checked wool coats with felted wool tie-dye; over-sized suit jackets tie-dyed with healing tumeric powder; classic over-sized overalls fashioned from salt and pepper worsted wool and gray cotton drill; businessman-meets-hippy-esque blue collar shirts in healing Zinc cotton shirting, also tie-dyed in healing tumeric powder. There are also felted fleece jackets and felted tie-dyed tracksuits, as well as tracksuits with sporty mesh patches and healing algae-infused jerseys. Crisp boxer shorts can be teamed with sock and shoes for an underwear-as-outerwear twist. Sweatshirts, plant-dyed with birch leaves, tumeric and leichen, come emblazoned with BOLD, BLEND AND BEING branding, offer a playful and uplifting spin on the 80s-Norwegian classic BALL jumper.

‘‘I like to create clothes that enhance an understanding of other peoples’ stories and past experiences. By wearing a piece of another person's history, perhaps a wider and deeper understanding can come about? Like you are in someone else's shoes, so you could also be a bit in someone else's sweatshirt, taking a piece of their journey with you. Their story is part of your past, too, and a bridge is formed between you.’’
Siv Støldal, 2023

Collaborators:

The Believer has welcomed creative interaction from selected collaborators, whose collective input altered the trajectory of the project in various exciting ways.

Scott Wilson
The London-based jewellery designer honed necklaces with eclectic materials, ranging from shoelaces, driftwood, crystals dipped in plaster and Tumeric, as well as rose quartz, precious stones combined with everyday rocks, horn and bones.
http://www.scottwilsonlondon.com/

Kim Jakobsen
The London-based, Norwegian/Vietnamese photographer and artist produced a photographic series, capturing the collection in rural Norwegian settings. The images further reinforce Jakobsen’s ongoing interest in identity, subcultures, the performance of the self, and the split between everyday utilitarian lives and utopian dreams.
https://kimjakobsento.com/

Morteza Vaseghi
The graphic designer Morteza Vaseghi devised and executed the distinctive graphics and prints used within the collection.
https://mortezavaseghi.com/

Merete Rein and Jan Kåre Myklebust
All glass and porcelain within the collection was made in collaboration with the glass blower Merete Rein, and the ceramist Jan Kåre Myklebust.
https://www.mereterein.no/
https://www.jankare.no/

Rudi Valdersnes
The Bergen-based, DJ, composer and instrumentalist based in Bergen has created the hypnotic and meditative sound image that is in the installation. He is a central figure within the experimental techno scene in Norway, with a distinctive style through repetitive structures and elongated polyrhythmic percussion landscapes. https://www.borealisfestival.no/artists2023/julie-silset-rudi-valdersnes/

Special thank you to:
The models Victor and Ramsi, for their enthusiasm and creative involvement in the shoot and casting.
Thom Murphy and Tor Erik Bøe, for their creative input.
Sjølingstad Uldvarefabrik and Else Karin Tysse Bysheim for the felting collaboration.

This poster is printed as a part of Tema Exhibition 2023 with the title Time will tell - she already knows, at Hordaland Kunstsenter, Bergen, Norway. Dates: 01.09- 15.11 2023.

The exhibition is part of Norske Kunsthåndverkere Exhibition Programme and is curated by Daniela Ramos Arias and Mathijs van Geest.

Words: James Anderson
https://jamesanderson.online/