RECLAMATION ARTIFACT
TECHNICAL DESIGN
DISCLAIMER
These designs were part of a project for Reclaiming History class and demonstrates my historical and theoretical research abilities and my personal understanding of contemporary fashion.
Illustrator - motif design creation
Repeat Design
INSPIRATION - AJRAKH BLOCK PRINTING
The purpose of this project is to celebrate the authenticity and significance of Ajrakh block printing and showcase the time and effort put in by the artisans to produce the intricate patterns.
The inspiration for the Reclamation Artifact is derived from the Indian hand-block printing craft called Ajrakh. Ajrakh is a cotton fabric that is printed on both sides using a resist printing technique and blocks. The print originated in the Sindh region of Pakistan and India and is now practiced in various parts of Gujrat. The authenticity of the print is identified by the vibrant red and indigo colours and geometric and floral motifs.
For the creation of the Reclamation Artifact, I took three different Ajrakh block print designs as inspiration to create a patchwork design for the garment. As you can see from the inspiration patterns, they are made of many geometric and floral shapes which is the main composition of our pattern. These patterns are made by hand seen through history and adding them to the front pockets holds meaning to those who created the design because it was in their hands. A modernistic approach to the design is involved when denim fabric is added which highlights the contrast between the pattern and the denim. I choose to keep the original colors (red, indigo black, brown) as they hold a certain meaning to them. The dying process of the material would all be natural to keep the authenticity of the Ajrakh hand-block printing. To further symbolize the meaning of the colours to individuals who don’t know them, I included patchwork that forms the earth on the back of the top. This is because the colours found in Ajrakh hand-block printing symbolize elements of the earth and this is a direct way of expressing the meaning of these colours. This reclaimed artifact that I created has a modernistic look but still retains the authenticity and originality of the craft by following the traditional methods in the production of the artifact.
