Arts Thread

This project is a love letter to my hometown, Penzance. It encapsulates the feeling of a growing need for escapism as the weight of the modern world gets increasingly heavier, choosing to look inward towards the oddities that make up town traditions. Re-rooting myself in the land that raised me. An exploration of town festivals, such as Montol, a winter solstice celebration in which we, the revellers, sing and dance and parade through the town, clad in fantastical costumes that distort one’s self. And at the end of the night, we burn the sun (one made from willow and paper), to dare it to come back to us for spring, the embers signifying rebirth and renewal of the seasons, and in turn, of life. This research informed the playful spirit that I wanted to encapsulate. Shape and fabrications were informed by a reference to historical garments once worn by those who worked the land and the sea, the Fishermen and the Bal Maidens. Borrowing and splicing together different components to create something that felt contemporary, yet steeped in heritage. The colour palette was informed by the expansive, rugged coastline. Muted blues and neutrals reminiscent of the sea, the sand and the cliffs that are found in abundance, with particular inspiration being drawn from moodier weather. Skies with a slightly grey tinge, angry sea crashing against the rocks (which also lent itself to silhouette inspiration), the type of weather that breaks the illusion of Cornwall being solely a sunny seaside getaway. It is so much more. Take the time to dive deeper and immerse yourself in the unusual magic Kernow has to offer.