Wearable Art Awards 2015 Port Moody Arts Centre

Have posted this moving Art-Fashion extravaganza many times (previous posts here and here) and was treated for my birthday (thanks Connie) to the February 21st opening evening.  This is a two night event with awards following. Award categories include: Best in the Show, People's Choice Award and Student Award.  (Open to anyone enrolled in school, university or college and under 30.) Note that the spectacular collection is on at Port Moody Arts Centre February 26-April2, 2015 and is definitely one to see!
This year, there were 54 entries, local and international.  They reflect geography, history, art, literature, politics, the culture and trends of our times.  The Artists are transformers, technicians, masters of construction, materials experts, magicians, seers, scholars and enchanters.  Their invitation is to take a piece of the world, interpret it in unique ways, think about it, respond to it and above all, be surprised, and be your own artist.

The following are a small sample of the extraordinary red carpet appearances in the great hall of the Port Moody Arts Centre.

1) It's Cadeques...if you catch my drift by Sue Sacchero, 

Safety Bay, Australia

The multi layers of surreal beauty, emotions, c

olors, water viewed from a boat.

2) Patience by Farnaz Ohadi, Headdress, Vancouver, B.C.

One of a collection of headdresses: "Goddess Rising, she leads the way."

3) Lust by Farnaz Ohadi, Headdress, Vancouver, B.C.

Another of the 6 headdresses created and named for

one aspect of feminine/masculine life force.

4) 21 Century Snake Priestess by Annamarta Dosourian, Berkely, CA

Snake Priestess like those of Minoan Crete, 1600 BCE.  

"Yogic awakening and spiritual maturation".

5) METAWARRIOR by Luke Detheridge, Vancouver, B.C.

Warrior being or goddess protector of human consciousness.  

"...demons of consumerism, commodity and comfort."  

Found and recycled products of industry.

6) Awakening by Svetlana Bardos; Vladimir Bezruc, 

North Vancouver, B.C.

Metal dress - beauty can be anywhere and unexpected can happen.

7) Chair Suit by Randi Aiken, London, Ontario.

This costume occupies the space between sculpture and performance, the 

unmonumental and the absurd, the functional and non-functional, the 

introvert and the extrovert.  I like that the sculpture becomes a chair
and all chairs, to me, tell a story.  There's the one on display in a museum, 

the one abandoned outside a thrift store, a favorite in your house, etc.

8)  Lucinda Kartography by Lorraine Kwan, Vancouver, B.C.

Used treasures that represent characters in the science fiction novels 

she writes. Fictional lands or wear the stories you love.

9) Women's Wear Daily 11 by Catherine Black, Washington, USA.

 Inspired by the Women's Wear Daily, the writing becomes the "fashion fabric".  

6 panel corset and boned foundation, mermaid skirt pleating, 

3 dimensional, headlines, headlines, headlines!

10) Common Experiences by Kathryn Blair, Calgary, Alberta.

A wearable technology piece that responds to the brain waves of the wearer.  

Lights on the dress change from cooler to warmer colors.  

How visible emotions affect interaction.  Even if you 

can keep a straight face, 

this might give you away.

*Note that many of the descriptions are taken from the Event Program, a book in itself.  Gorgeous photographs and thorough detailing of each work and its components.