Creative Projects
Fetish Totem LS528Hz
Punish the Streets at New Art Projects
Fetish Totem LS528Hz for VFD Vogue Goes Rogue … the back story.
As part of a fashion programme to support the Barbican’s Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition, Lyall Hakaraia (aka Vogue Fabrics Dalston) launched a programme of Ritualistic Corporate Journeys (RCJ). “With RCJ we are drawing parallels between two seemingly incongruous cultures: both of which use highly complex and esoteric, beliefs and traditions to manifest results. The first is the Corporate World and its use of economics to achieve positive outcomes and the other is Folklore and its use of occult practices to forecast a favourable future.”
When Lyall asked me to design one of the totems I immediately thought about satellites, social networking, corporate technology and how it makes us feel connected. We call this technology progress, when in fact we have a far superior natural ability to be connected. Ancient texts like the Dao de Ching, Buddhism, Yoga, transcendental meditation refer to oneness. Scientific theories about the Unified Field: http://www.yogicflyingclubs.org/foundation.html and Holographic Universe: http://youtu.be/NsbZT9bJ1s4
Our separateness is an illusion.
We are ALL connected, like a huge coral reef – one organism with ever evolving growth. All the individual components look like different parts but are actually all one. So we can transmit and receive energy and communicate across time and space – no tech needed. Perhaps the pineal gland (third eye) is our inbuilt wifi.
And so my totem was inspired by satellites, acting as a sender and receiver of loving energy 528Hz.
We took the totems to Glastonbury where in between dancing we made a slo-mo video and I got to twirl my totem in a beautiful green field and soak up the fresh vibes. The next stage of the journey was a ritualistic walk from the Barbican to Hackney via London Fields for a fashion makeover – I was given a Noel Stewart hat. Later we celebrated with a summer garden party of music and creative delights.
The totem has been resting ever since, now 5 years on I’ve had the chance to reconnect and it’s been a delight. Now showing at the VFD 10 year anniversary Punish The Streets exhibition at New Art Projects, I gave my LS528Hz a little revamp after a little walk through East London to freshen up her vibes. I later adorned her with hand-made tin wings to mark the 10 year anniversary, and prepare her to fly solo. She’ll be floating in the gallery for the next month next to former fashion collaborator Dr Noki’s custom avatars.
“The extraordinary performance costumes, ‘Fetish Totem’ by Laura Shepherd and ‘Fetish Totem 2’ by Lyall Hakaraia are suspended, like beguiling and slightly unsettling creatures from the ceiling of the first gallery space.”
Artlyst.com 17 February 2019
