Empress At Forbidden City Chapter II - Cixi

As I have mentioned on the last post, I have been very busy with work and children and have missed out on 2 prestigious wearable art competition beginning of year 2019. 

After being in the job as a Team Leader for some time, and working with a team of awesome people, my jobs get easier. That's mean my hands are getting itchy to get creative again. I saw this advertisement and posts about an event called Australian Wearable Art Festival. I seen it pop up in my newsfeed in Facebook for quite some times. I wasn't going to participate because the event take place in Queensland. 

I keep going back to the post about the event and I was unsure whether I should do it.. (back and forth... back and forth... ) Not long after that I thought, oh well, let's make an entry submission. It doesn't mean I will be selected for sure at that stage. But if I am chosen as a finalist, then I will just have to commit to it. 

In my submission, I drafted 1 of the most powerful woman ever lived and ruled a country informally for 47 years. I am still drawn to the topic of women empowerment. So I have chosen Empress Dowager Cixi as my main object in my creations.

Who is Cixi?

Oil painting by Hubert Vos (1905)

The above painting is a portrait of Empress Dowager Cixi, by Hubert Vos at 1905. Empress Dowager Cixi, of the Manchu Yehe Nara clan, was a Chinese empress dowager and regent who effectively controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty for 47 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908. During her reign of power, she ruled "behind the curtain" or as we know it "behind the emperor"; the real power behind the throne. She never officially took over as an official ruler of China for the entire 47 years. She also is the beginning of the modern age in China. 

Historians both in China and abroad have debated her legacy. Conventionally denounced as a ruthless despot whose reactionary policies – although successfully self-serving in prolonging the ailing Qing dynasty – led to its humiliation and utter downfall in the Wuchang Uprising, revisionists suggested that Nationalist and Communist revolutionaries scapegoated her for deep-rooted problems beyond salvage, and lauded her maintenance of political order as well as numerous effective, if belated reforms – including the abolition of slavery, ancient torturous punishments and the ancient examination system in her ailing years, the latter supplanted by institutions including the new Peking University.

Now they [the Powers] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield to them, I would have no face to see our ancestors after death. If we must perish, why not fight to the death? ~ Empress Dowager Cixi

Above is a famous quote from the Empress. 

For my first chapter of Empress of Forbidden City, Wu Zetian is my object of the creation and I was recreating an outfit from the China series. But this time, I am going to make something couture, exaggerate but still maintain the shape and form of a Qing Dynasty Imperial outfits. Just so it is recognisable. And this will be my Empress At Forbidden City chapter II - Cixi: Power Behind The Throne.

A few weeks has passed and I have not heard from the organiser whether or not I am in as a finalist. So I contacted them. At the time when the finalists of the competition was announced, it was actually very close to the finale show date. I actually was going to pull out because I was thinking that the time that was given for finalists to create a complete wearable art outfits was not sufficient. But the curator respond was prompt. The results was announced right after that and I was one of the finalist. I was in mixed emotion when I got the news. I only got a total of 6 weeks to create something from scratch. It is even possible (I thought)? Ok, let's try. If I cannot finish then I cannot finish. But for now, I will do anything I can to make it happen.

People have not forgotten my Paper On Skin 2018 Empress at Forbidden City piece. The piece has reached the Queenslander and have caught the media attention about my entry to Australian Wearable Art 2019. The very talented writer/reporter Roxanne McCarty O-Kane from My Weekly Preview contacted me for a phone interview. The article is in this link: https://www.myweeklypreview.com.au/news/creativity-unleashed-for-wearable-art-festival/ . 

I never would have thought that Empress At Forbidden City has made such a great impact in the world of wearable in Australia and recognised in so many places. Thanks again Roxanne for your time and write up. 

This time for the material choice, I have decided to create my own textile. I looked in my pantry and I found tons and tons of plastic bags from Coles, Woolworths etc. I would never had a chance to use them all. I certainly don't want to discard it and causing more pollution and environmental problems. So I will use it and make something beautiful out of it.

I started to test fusing these plastic with heat and I set on a 3 ply plastic fusing for the adequate strength that I was looking for. Once I got the textile material set in hand. I drafted how I wanted the outfits to look like and then I started to source for a model that would suit the look. This competition held in Queensland. Sourcing a specific look model can be quite challenging. I required a model that is tall, with strong facial features, and she has to be an Asian girl. I don't know a lot of people in Queensland. I can count it all with 1 hand. So I tried my luck anyway and asked 1 of my good friend who used to lived here in Tasmania but moved there. Coincidentally, she told me she knew someone who is absolutely gorgeous, very tall, an Asian lady who used to be a professional model. I cannot believe my luck!!! WOW!!! That's just awesome. I used to be a mother agency for professional models and I represented models from around the world and have supplied models to prestigious agencies around the globe; China, Milan, Thailand, Istanbul, Indonesia, India (just to named a few). And I was in the career for 5 years. So, I know when I see a "model". I basically just have to look at it and I can tell whether she or he is a model material. 

 

So this good friend of mine (her name is Moy), showed me some photos and linked me to this friend's Facebook profile, her name is Joan and she is Philippine. I had a look, literally just A LOOK. Voila, I got my right girl. How lucky I am I thought!!! We had a chat and discussed a few things, at the end she agreed to help me out and be my model for the show. So, who is Joan, the model? 

Above are some of Joan's modelling photos during her professional modelling career

In year 2000, was one of Joan most significant year in her modelling career, winning the title of Ford Supermodel of the World Philippines which was awarded by the late Ford New York founders, Eileen and Gerry Ford. She represented her country in San Juan, Puerto Rico and made the top 10 out of 200 supermodel winners in the world. This opened a lot of doors for her. She did numerous magazine covers in Manila's top fashion magazines, walk the runway for local and international designers and brands like Alex Perry, Escada, Monique Lhuillier, Replay Jeans, Guess, Jewelmer and Esprit to name a few. She have also done promotional campaign for Sunsilk shampoo and Jewelmer Southsea Pearl. Her modeling career lasted for about 6 years full time and then she went to explore other career in the Philippines and here in Australia. At the of 39, year 2019, Joan decided to walk the runway again for me, as Empress Dowager Cixi, one of the most powerful woman ever lived. And I am over the moon!!!

Here we go, we all set to moved on with a full swing and get this outfits done. Caring for 3 kids at that time, working as a Team leader, running a group home, managing a handful of staff, working a second job AND creating a wearable art that is due in 6 weeks (minus 1 week for the garment to reach Eumandi, Queensland) I literally have not sleep for the whole 5 weeks. Ok, I might have exaggerated a little, maybe 2-3 hours each night. I was exhausted.. stressing out if I can complete the garment. I keep perseverance and telling myself I can do this!!!

Following are some progress photos:

The colour of the garment was achieved by spray painting. I have to be very careful and making sure I primed and coat the paint properly to prevent it from cracking and peeling off.

The cape featured dragons and phoenixes, an important symbol of power in the imperial family. 

During Qing Dynasty, all woman in the Imperial court required to wear a headpiece. Empresses are required to wear "Feng Guan". My headpieces was inspired by it. 

Qing Dynasty headdress (photo sourced from Pinterest)

High heels exist during the ancient time in China. In the Qing Dynasty, women in the Imperial court required to wear high heels called "Flower Pot" shoes. It has a high heel in the middle of the shoes and my shoes was inspired by it.

Qing Dynasty Imperial Shoes (photo sourced from Pinterest)

Nail guard is an accessories all Imperial court high ranked concubines and empresses worn to protect their nails. A symbol of rank and power.

Qing Dynasty nail guard (photos sourced from Pinterest)

I finally almost finish

I literally used up every second I have spared on the garment. Until the night before the finale, I am still working on the garment in a luxury air bnb in Noosa that I didn't get to enjoy very much. I felt absolutely exhausted at that point. But I came that far, I will make sure I put up a good show. We managed to have a fitting completed before the finale. At the very last minute, I decided to add a pair of ear piece to the look, just to balanced it out a little. 

A last minute add on. After the show completed, I have given this to Joan as a souvenir

Over 50 bags were used to create this look. I have used a variety of spray paints to achieve the colour of the garment. I created 3 phoenixes using the same material as the dress details. Using plastic cups, bubble wrap, millinery wire and the fused plastic bags to create 2 full dragons for the dress and a half body dragon for the headpiece. I used a pair of shoes and pine wood to create the Empress’s shoes, which I have cut, sanded and shaped the base of the shoes to achieve the final look. I also hand painted the shoes with acrylic paint and used beads, sequins, rhinestones etc to decorate the shoes. For the Empress’s headpiece, I used Chinese fan and millinery wire as the foundation of the piece. I made a phoenix out of plastic spoons. I used some tassels, fused plastic, fabric bias, self-made plastic spoons flowers and many beads, sequins and rhinestone to finish the piece. I also created 4 nail guards using millinery wire, sinamay, materials I found in op-shop as well as beads and rhinestone to complete. Beading has been a big part of the entire outfit. I have hand sewn over 1600 beads and sequins, and glue on over 2000 beads, sequins and rhinestones individually by hand. As this is a dress for an Empress, beads represent luxury and extravagance that the Empress deserves. The night before the finale, I have created a pair of ear pieces to lift the look to the next level. The completed look was created within a 5 weeks period and close to 250 hours to complete.

The garment looks good, but when Joan wore it and walked in it.. I am lost for words..

Seeing her walking in my creations has made all my hard work worth while. The piece received very good response while on stage and many good feedback from the spectators and fellow artists. Thank you to all 3 judges who have awarded me for 3 awards:

Winner - Best Headpiece

Winner - Haute Couture

Runner up - Advant Garde

I couldn't be prouder of the results and what Cixi has achieved for me. It has given me more confidence and strength to move forward as an artist. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all that have had helped me along the way, those who have came on the evening cheering for me and supported me. Without you all, non of this is possible. 

Me and Joan proudly receiving our awards and smiling for the camera

Following you can see Joan strutting her stuff during the finale. She is regal, she is power, she is everything, she is Empress Dowager Cixi 2019!!!

Thanks to Moy for the amazing video:

Again, I have achieved another goal, making the impossible, possible.