Tuan Tran – Art and Fashion Design Biography and Approach
Creating beautiful garments and art that defy the source materials is a challenge. Creating beauty from source materials which are up-cycled and re-purposed is my obsession. Life is
colorful. I am colorful. Art and Fashion reflect life. My Fashion design and art reflect me. The color's of thread, cloth, wire, ribbon, are my pallet. Recycled Materials are the Ethos of my Fashion Design & Art. The colors
and textures of material, thread and wire, appear in much of my work. The elements or materials used in composing my Fashion and Art are as varied as the resulting end design.
WireWear is made of recycled wire and materials reflecting my affinity to the colors of life, and the reuse of discarded materials. OriWear crafted from re-purposed cloth material to attain a level of beauty which defies the origin of the material.
Life cannot be taken too
seriously. Fun, enjoyment and thought are what I hope to bring in each of my
pieces. The subject matter, materials and theme of each of my pieces vary significantly; reflecting
life, reflecting belief, reflecting me.
Actively involved in Art for 25 years, based in San Francisco. I am a
credentialed Ikebana teacher and have performed demonstrations, exhibits and workshops around
the world. Ikebana has provided a tremendous creative outlet to me. Now creating couture fashion and fine art from
recycled materials while focusing on the individual beauty and significance of the
elements. Creating fashion and fine art from discarded or recycled materials is my
passion. Composing and constructing garments and works of art from “found” materials is not
new. The intrinsic value of beauty these recycled materials creates the
opportunity to exceed the “sum of the parts”.
Combining these materials to create visions of beauty is not
unlike Ikebana, the ancient Japanese tradition of arranging natural materials
such as flowers, branches, rocks, achieving visions of beauty, creating visions
of natural perfection. Fusing natural elements and connecting people to nature
is core to Ikebana. Ikebana is an original art form of found materials. My art is a modern approach to some very old concepts in creating beauty.
The world is NOW manufacturing materials and items in
excess, seemingly a component of human modern nature. Excessive production of
materials creates the opportunity to exploit the beauty of these individual
manufactured elements. Constructing visions of beauty exceeding the sum of
the individual elements, in fashion and art is my quest.
Extending and enhancing the revolutionary idea of “ready mades” or “found
art” concepts beginning with pioneers such as Marcel Duchamp. My art is an
embodiment of the forefathers idea of recycling, re-purposing and reusing. The
idea of viewing and appreciating that which our society has produced, but no
longer values.
Items and materials NOW discarded as SCRAP are my pallet.
Melding, crafting and constructing these materials into a statement of
beauty, is my quest. Exploiting the beauty of the individual elements and
creating beauty by their collective composition, to be worn and to adorn. Using recycled materials is my passion of constructing visions of beauty to be enjoyed.
Tuan
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