Irina Toropova – Estonia

Balance is so ephemeral

Description

This headpiece has been created to bring an attention to our subtle body system, to inner peace and balance that we can get by meditation. There five meditation elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether, and seven chakras: Mooladhara, Swadisthan, Nabhi, Anahata, Vishuddhi and Sahasrara.

This piece represents two chakras – Swadisthan and Anahata and in some way all elements. All chakras have their own colour and element: Swadisthan – yellow colour and fire element, while Anahata – red and air as well as have some quality – creativity and love accordingly.

So, if two elements are clearly seen, rest of them are hidden. Earth represents cork fabrics that has been used for back side of hat, Water represents the shape of it, while whole headpiece is stands for Ether, as shaped part is balanced on very small point fixed on hat base.

Materials

• Fur felt in yellow and red colour
• Cork fabrics
• Thermoplastics
• Millinery wire
• Thread

Techniques

• Blocking base using wooden block
• Stretched flat yellow and red felt using wet cloth and iron
• Made a pattern from cardboard for the centre part
• Cut off two similar pieces from felt and fabrics as well as bit smaller part from thermoplastics
• Connected felt, cork and thermoplastics pieces together using heat press and shaped it
• Attached flowing piece to the base
• Made headband using millinery wire
• Attached base to headband