DRESSED Current project with photographer Erik Daenitz A gorgeous, couture gown floating across the gritty pavement of a city street is a sight to behold, indeed. Two American artists have tapped into the captivating nature of high fashion as the foundation for their current street project Dressed—an art piece that combines sculpture, design, photography, and performance art with the mind-boggling element of fashion endurance. On a sunny day back in 2010, artist Amy Caron ceremoniously stepped into a pristine wedding gown that she continues to wear every single day everywhere she goes. Imagine her popping in the bank, weaving through grocery store aisles, or navigating airport security. People see her dining at restaurants or guest lecturing at prestigious universities and then cramming her voluminous gown into her car to zip across town. Caron embarked on this journey to explore the psychology of commitment and chose the wedding dress as an iconic symbol of devotion. Her dress, by New York designer Amsale, is undergoing a remarkable transformation as the patina from daily life adds texture and morphs the dress into a one-of-a-kind textile sculpture whose main ingredient is time. Photographer Erik Daenitz is capturing this study of contrasts with an unconventional mix of fashion photography, portraiture, and photojournalism. Only through the use of multiple photo genres can Daenitz capture the range of Dressed from its audacious street sass and endearing humor to Caron’s challenges with the personal discipline the piece demands and the fascinating complexities of social exchange that her dress evokes. Dressed lifts fashion beyond surface glamour and uses visual distinction and formal elegance as a stimulating communication tool and impetus for cross-disciplinary art. How long will she wear it? Embrace ambiguity my friends. Caron says she will wear it as long as it takes to complete the work. The creative team will celebrated her one-year anniversary in the gown in September 2011. In September 2012, she crossed the unexpected two-year mark. The artists kept a low profile with the project early on to let it mature. Now they are ready to begin gradually presenting Dressed to the public in the form of lecture/discussions at intimate venues. These events will include a sampling of Daenitz’ photography, Caron wearing her dress in person (as always), and community conversations with the artists about their process and the topics associated with this work. While a spontaneous glimpse of Caron out in the wild is the undisputed trophy moment, the temporal nature of Dressed makes an invitation to meet these artists while their piece is in its gestation an alluring opportunity. When asked about the form of the final exhibition they toss around ideas of limited edition books, audio documentary, a postcard series, dinner parties, and straight up gallery exhibitions, but decline to pin down the shape of the final product at this stage in the game. Press article: “A Year in the Same Wedding Dress” Salt Lake City Weekly, 2011 Additional photo from “Dressed” project: www.erikdaenitz.com Previous lectures by Caron / Daenitz about their project: 2011 Utah Valley University, Happenings in Humanities Series, November 29, 2011. Sponsored by Department of Philosophy and Humanities 2010 Duke University, Crisscrossed Disciplines and Chaotic Lifestyles: Amy Caron and Erik Daenitz talk about their work together, October 11, 2010. Sponsored by The Center for Documentary Studies. For booking, inquiries, to report a sighting, or send in a photo - contact: amy@amycaron.com or 801-815-9339 Back to WORKS page