Muy Marcottage

In the past 100 years, the world population has quadrupled.  This means that there are more people competing for fewer resources.  And since we all wear clothes, our attire, more than ever before, expresses our politics and our ethics.  That’s why, in the spirit of Demeter, the goddess of regeneration, we need to give life to old clothes by making them new again.

The standarization of mass production of clothing requires new materials.  However, if individually made, old materials can be used.  Not only would this mean saving materials, it would also mean we could wear clothes that express our own individuality as opposed to expressing aesthetics made for the masses.  Our clothing is not only a form of shelter, it’s also a manifestation of who we are.

I am an artist who no longer  focuses  on painting canvases but, instead, on making clothes.  Collectively, these clothes are called Muy Marcottage. Marcottage is a French term used for plant propagation–taking one plant to make another. But it’s also an art term used to indicate a sculptural composition that’s been made using pre-existing elements. In other words, disassembling one thing to create another. Rodin’s “The Fallen Angel” is an example of marcottage.

Initially, I wanted to call my production of reconstructed clothes simply “Marcottage” but one day, while listing to The Kumbia Kings, I decided to add the “muy” meaning “very”. Thus “Muy Marcottage”.

Muy Marcottage is made primarily from discarded clothing that’s been cut up, reassembled then handsewn into place.  Often they are like giant collages where fabric is used instead of paper and thread is used instead of glue. Muy Marcottage dresses are narrative in that all have “titles” (words or phrases) stitched on them giving each one its own identity.

Threads unite.

Cynthia Korzekwa | Muy Marcottage exhibit

6 Responses to Muy Marcottage

  1. segmation says:

    How does one get in touch with you?

  2. Pingback: Irini Gonou and magical writing. | art for housewives

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  4. Natalie says:

    Ciao cara Cynthia! I’ve just now seen your Marcottage clothes and they’re great! I give away bags of clothes that I don’t want anymore to charity shops but your creations make me feel I could try re-using my old stuff, collaging pieces together in creative ways. The problem is the time this would take and the fact that I have only the most basic sewing skills by hand or sewing machine! Anyway, I might have a try. You should see the Sonia Delaunay exhibition now on at Tate Modern – she did something similar and was a great success at it.
    So glad to re-connect with you.

    • Isn’t it incredible to “reunite” after such a long time? Please try your hand at clothes collages as I’m sure with your talents you could do something magical. No major sewing skills are needed. You could try, at first, simply cutting out shapes and images from other clothes and sewing them on to a simple shirt.
      What a pity I’m too far away for the Delaunay exhibition (we are on Paros at present). She was amazing!
      a presto!

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