Love and war, from upcoming artist Victoria Ruiz 🌸 See more here ➡️
, exhibited by Saint Martins’ Lethaby Gallery in May. In one look, a parrot perches on top of a soldier’s shiny helmet; the helmet appears to be dripping with blood, and the soldier’s green, star-trimmed jumpsuit is torn. In another, models wear dystopian gas masks stuffed with the heads of teddy bears. Playful elements, inspired by the rich culture of Venezuela, are fused with the dark realities of its ongoing political downfall.
For Ruiz, the retelling of this story is rooted in extensive research. “I always start by reading different books, news articles, and journals that relate to my subject,” she says. “I then researched the different characters that I believed were part of the narrative in Venezuela’s downfall … I asked myself a million questions about who this character was in my world and who this character was in the real world.
Materialising these ideas as sculptural garments was a difficult process, she adds, explaining: “I am not a ‘classically’ trained designer.” However, this also opened up moments of spontaneity, and Ruiz saw building each new garment as a valuable learning experience. The sculptural approach she developed in this time particularly comes through in more fantastical pieces, including a bejewelled red devil costume, and a “flower skin” that transforms the wearer into a bouquet of daisies.
“I feel proud as the first generation of my family to study abroad and gain this diploma,” she says. “This project was in honour of my father, and his hard work to give us a new opportunity in life, in a new country. And to my country, Venezuela, and all of us Venezuelans around the world. I feel honoured to represent my country in the best way that I can.”