DAISY COLLINGRIDGE
Studio at Sarabande, The Lee McQueen Foundation 2020
Artist Statement
Daisy is an artist with an education in fashion design and a practise driven by craft. Her multi-disciplinary work investigates of the human form as the central theme. The work sits in an awkward space between, sculpture, performance and art. The ‘flesh suits’ or ‘Squishies’ are an exploration of fabric, form and flesh. Their tactile fabric bodies and inviting colour exaggerate the warmth and softness of flesh- these elements which signify a living thing. They are visceral. There is a desire to touch. Fabric offers skin like qualities that traditional sculpting materials do not have. Unlike marble or ceramic, they will not last forever, just like skin. The medium is more approachable and laced with meaning given that we all come into contact with fabric on a daily basis.
Each piece has their own character. They become real and take on their own identity. It feels natural to document their living moving selves in their own fantasy world. Yet their world mirrors our own with its heady mix of melancholy and joy. At the core of the work is a celebration of the human form. This complex body that we all exist in for a time. It asks the viewer to consider the body in every form and observe its potential.
EDUCATION
2010-2014 | BA diploma fashion design womenswear, Central St Martins
2009-2010 | Art Foundation Diploma, Loughborough University
EXHIBITIONS & RESIDENCES
2022 | 'Fragments', Omer Tiroche Gallery presented by Subtitle Labs, London
2020- 2022 | Sarabande Foundation Artist in Resident, London
2022 | 'The Demons Show', Group Show, London
2022 | 'Grossly Affectionate', Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, USA
2021 | 'Best seat in the house', WaterAid UK, Oxo Gallery, London
2021 | UNIT Gallery London, Platform Exhibition
2021 | Fumes and Perfumes, contemporary photography exhibition, Stuttgart
2021 | Xenia Creative retreat residency, 11-21 October with Isabelle Garrett
2021 | 'Served', Group Exhibition at the Sarabande Foundation, London
2021 | British Textile Biennial; 'Connected cloth' with 62 Group, Whitaker Museum,
2020| J Hammond Projects Artist in Resident, The Bomb Factory, London
2019 | 'Zeitgiest' 108 Fine Art, Harrogate 9th November-30th November
2019 | ‘The House of the Unmade bed’, Alexandra Palace, RDS Dublin and HCC Harrogate
2018- 2020 | ‘Ctrl/Shift’ Exhibition; 62 Group: MAC, Birmingham; 2018, National Centre for Craft and Design, Sleaford, 2019, Visual Arts Centre, 2020
PRINTED PUBLICATIONS
2022 | TXP Magazine over Textilekunst, Issue 65, Cover & p30-32
2022 | Dame, Issue 1, p64-67
2021 | Form, Issue 294, p30
2021 | Crafts, May/June Issue 288, p66-67
2020 | Embroidery, Vol 71, p30-31
2020 | Trebutchet, Contemporary Surrealism, Issue 8, p172-176
2020 | Hi Fructose, New Contemporary Art Magazine Vol.55 p32-p37
2019 | Tush, Beauty & the Beast Story
2015 | Love magazine, Tim Walker, featuring Agnes Deyn.
AWARDS & COMMISSIONS
2021 | WaterAid toilet seat commission, 'Best Seat in the House'
2020 | Gentle Monster commission, ‘Redefinition of Eyewear’ Project
2016 | World of Wearable Arts, New Zealand, International Winner
2015 | Commission for Björk, Concert au Grand Théâtre, Lyon, Fulcinara tour
FURTHER ONLINE INTERVIEWS
Unit Gallery London, Platform Viewing Room
Metal Magazine; Daisy Collingridge 'A Homage to the human body'
Its Nice That, 'Meet the squishies'
Textile Artist: The art of the squishy
This is Colossal; 'Squishy flesh suits quilted by textile artist Daisy Collingridge
Damn Magazine: Beautiful is any body
Dezeen; 'Daisy May Collingridge's "squishy" suits quash the idea of the idea body type
Creative Boom; Daisy Collingridge on her fleshy body suits [...] that celebrate the human form
Noise: Daisy Collingridge; Fabric is in the blood.
Dazed Digital; Artist Daisy Collingridge wants to eradicate boring body ideals
Observer, Artist Daisy Collingridge’s “Squishies” Celebrate the Body With Flesh Suits
all work copyright daisy collingridge