It's In The Trees
Romance Was Born mark their 20th anniversary by creating a fantasy of all their loves, taking inspiration from artistic powerhouse the Ballets Russes, the raw beauty of Australian flora and fauna, as well as their fond nostalgia for growing up in regional Australia.
Forever subject matter for Romance Was Born is childhood nostalgia, here we see it shaped by two formative influences, one stems from nature and the other from children’s toys. It’s in the trees explores the memory of building other worlds, fantasy lands for playing with bright coloured toys outside in the garden. The thrill of extreme contrasts of colour and texture, plastic next to a gum leaf or a fresh flower in barbie’s glossy hair. The heightened sense of make-believe seeing your toys in the natural environment, the interplay of scale adding to the fun of the game - a moss covered rock, becomes a towering cliff face that barbie might fall from, but battle cat saves her. Being lost in the play, shadows lengthen the mood shifts, you suddenly realise night is closing in. It’s dark and you should be home safe inside, the trees and groves that were once a familiar wonderland now turn strange and scary.
These memories drew Romance Was Born to collaborate with Mattel toy company exploring 80 years of archives to rediscover forgotten gems; Anna’s peaches ‘n’ cream barbie, Luke’s fav masters of the universe action figures. Gaudy but gorgeous, threatening sensory overload just like the best pop art, the Mattel gowns sparkle with whizz-bang joy and wow factor. A fine example of childish fervour. When you play outside sometimes you make surprising new friends, like the first time you hold a Christmas beetle. The initial fear of the unknown those spiky barbed legs and mandibles look dangerous, but soon you release you have found a friendly gentle creature. Birds and bush insects, specifically butterflies and beetles serve as symbols and emblems throughout the collection.
Another long-cherished influence for Romance Was Born is the avant-garde ballet company from the early 20th century, the legendary Ballets Russes. Romance Was Born adore their bold costumes, sumptuous colours, and minutely refined detail, an aesthetic which closely mirrors their own. Further creative parallels exist between the Ballets Russes and Romance Was Born, both are a hives of collaboration. From the beginning Romance Was Born have collaborated with contemporary artists. This season they work with Australian painter Laura Jones drawn to her hyper colour landscapes, a world that is neither night nor day, a sense of psychedelia that captures the stark brutality and contrast of the Australian environment. In the tradition of this great ballet company, Laura Jones has hand painted directly onto some of the gowns in the collection. The spirit of the Ballet Russes is evoked throughout, certain looks reference particular characters or ballets from their repertoire.
The theatricality of their costumes used the dancer’s form as a canvas, so too do Romance Was Born. This collection features headdresses, gloves, and all manner of stylised motifs to express their vision. Stylistically the Ballet Russes bridged the opulent eras of Art Nouveau and Art Deco a period in art and culture that is a true love for Romance Was Born. In reverence they create elegant sinuous curves, luxuriant patterns and proportion is cleverly distorted as they nod to the razzle dazzle spectacle of these grand old times.
Romance Was Born invite you to run through the forest, follow your heart and dreams, look to the mysterious magic and power of nature to provide the answers… It’s in the trees.
