About The Work
Fujiwara takes the symbolism of the guillotine and applies it to his Whitechapel edition, a scarf made from cotton jersey.
Invented in the French Revolution, the guillotine replaced earlier execution methods. Previously peasants and commoners sentenced to death were hung and the nobility decapitated by a sword yielding executioner. Partly in response to the high number of executions taking place and also to a new democratic ideology, the nation needed an efficient single form of execution “for everybody”.
The guillotine symbol has been monogrammed, turning it into a repeating motif, hinting at the way aesthetics today, through fashion and through hyper capitalism and mass media, have disrupted the value of historic symbols, or indeed any symbols as marketable commodities. The guillotine - a machine that once signaled terror- is now a “cute” motif. The fabric on which the motif is printed, a grey sweatshirt jersey was commonly associated with lower classes as a ‘lazy’ or ‘low’ material. Since the ‘athleisure’ and fitness ‘revolution’ as well as the breakdown of aesthetics in relation to wealth, the material is worn across the board by all classes and wealth brackets. The two symbols of democracy, a world ‘for all’ are brought together, for Fujiwara, a positive thing.
Fujiwara intends for the work to be either hung on a wall or worn. The shredded detail can be seen as homage to the guillotines original function, but also as a way for the wearer to adapt the scarf to their individual style.
Courtesy of Whitechapel Gallery
About Simon Fujiwara
From The Magazine
Cotton with digital print
11.81 x 61.02 in
30.0 x 155.0 cm
This edition is accompanied by signed and numbered certificate.
About The Work
Fujiwara takes the symbolism of the guillotine and applies it to his Whitechapel edition, a scarf made from cotton jersey.
Invented in the French Revolution, the guillotine replaced earlier execution methods. Previously peasants and commoners sentenced to death were hung and the nobility decapitated by a sword yielding executioner. Partly in response to the high number of executions taking place and also to a new democratic ideology, the nation needed an efficient single form of execution “for everybody”.
The guillotine symbol has been monogrammed, turning it into a repeating motif, hinting at the way aesthetics today, through fashion and through hyper capitalism and mass media, have disrupted the value of historic symbols, or indeed any symbols as marketable commodities. The guillotine - a machine that once signaled terror- is now a “cute” motif. The fabric on which the motif is printed, a grey sweatshirt jersey was commonly associated with lower classes as a ‘lazy’ or ‘low’ material. Since the ‘athleisure’ and fitness ‘revolution’ as well as the breakdown of aesthetics in relation to wealth, the material is worn across the board by all classes and wealth brackets. The two symbols of democracy, a world ‘for all’ are brought together, for Fujiwara, a positive thing.
Fujiwara intends for the work to be either hung on a wall or worn. The shredded detail can be seen as homage to the guillotines original function, but also as a way for the wearer to adapt the scarf to their individual style.
Courtesy of Whitechapel Gallery
About Simon Fujiwara
From The Magazine
- Ships in 10 to 14 business days from United Kingdom.
- This work is final sale and not eligible for return.
- Questions about this work?
- Interested in other works by this artist or other artists? We will source them for you.
- Want to pay in installments?
Contact an Artspace Advisor
advisor@artspace.com
