Polkadots

Hello my ethical stars. Today I’m taking the true meaning(s) of Polkadots. Polkadots are simply sporadically placed dots, frequently used in fashion, right? Wrong. Although for the consumer, a billowing polkadot dress is fabulous for both the summer sunshine and winter wonderlands, to Yayoi Kusama, polkadots represented a whole new field of thought, observation and a poignant insight into her very own psyche. This topic has been inspired by my recent trip to the Tate Museum, which opened my eyes to the hidden significance of art and passion behind the clothes we purchase and so frequently flaunt.

My lazy Sundays took a creative turn when I spontaneously decided to visit Kusama’s surreal exhibition. A truly unique artist, Kusama has lived voluntarily in a psychiatric institution since 1977, and much of her work explores obsession and a desire to escape from her psychological trauma. Kusama uses her art to share her experiences, as my friends and I witnessed first hand through her ethereal installations that immersed us in her obsessively charged vision of endless dots and infinitely mirrored space.

I casually strolled into the Tate Modern that Sunday, expecting, perhaps wrongly, the usual modern art suspects. However it was as if I was walking through a visual version of a brain, self-analysing repetitively. Trying to tap into Kusama’s conscience, I examined the plethora of polkadots before my eyes. As my vision began to blur, and my brain began to itch a little, it was time to bounce on out.

This experience made me question the various prints and designs we see upon clothes. On one hand, a pattern on a garment may serve a very practical, necessary purpose, yet this garment can project the very thoughts, anxieties, pleasures and moods all humans are faced with on a daily basis.

Often when I will dress head to toe in black, or muted earthly colours, my head is lowly slung and I am shuffling along the pavement like a lost pup, homeward bound. However on other occasions I’ll be peacocking in divine purples and rich reds, when I'm feeling self assured and sometimes mischievous. My dear friend even pointed out to me that on some of my most adventurous and spontaneous experiences; I have donned prominent stripes and patterned attire.

These visual designs whether it be polka dots, nautical stripes or floral creations reflect certain energies to those around us, and are also a more revealing mirror of our own imaginations and internal worlds, than we are aware of. Perhaps I’m thinking too much about it, but after entering Kusama’s whimsical world, I’ve seen that art is everywhere, always. We just need to pause for a moment in time and give that neon coat, those star scattered jeans, and that tasseled satchel a closer and more curious look. 

Peace and Love

M