Collection of the unloved: a trip of the treasures of childhood to artistic expression
ColeslawThe creative force behind the Sential Kitsch, has cut a unique space in mixed contemporary art by transforming the toys thrown into felted sculptures which balance fantasy and anger. His work, infused with nostalgia from the 90s and a shifting sense of humor, questions the disposable nature of the culture of modern consumption. Through her playful but disturbing creations, she inspires a new life in forgotten objects, reshaping them in surreal works of art that captivate and intrigue.
Coleslaw's artistic inclinations go back to his childhood, which was filled with an insatiable passion for collection. Whether it's troll dolls, balls or even pet snails in a lunch box, she found beauty in the little things neglected. His fascination for nature and the quirks spread to the rescue of a wounded beetle with his sister, hiding it under their bed in order to have it breastfeed in health. While the school felt restrictive and without interest, art was the only subject where it felt really free. She continued the Fine Arts in college before registering for a program of books on the arts and crafts in London College of Communication, but ultimately, the rigid structure of the academic world did not suit her. Instead, she chose a path of exploration, travel and allowing her creativity to develop organically outside of institutional constraints.
It was not until 2017 that she discovered the needle sheet, a meeting that would redefine her artistic direction. A visit to the island of the island of Granville in Vancouver presented it to an artist felt of the needle whose work sparked an immediate fascination. Pulled on the sculptural possibilities of the medium, she returned home eager to experiment. With the help of YouTube tutorials and tests and errors, she refined her technique, initially creating pet portraits for friends and family. However, it was during the pandemic – when the saliban gave him an unexpected abundance of time – that his work has really evolved. Free to explore without pressure, it developed the distinct aesthetics which now defines that I felt kitsch.
Amy Curswaw: Reimagining 90s Pop Culture with a twisted charm
For the cabbage salad, the 90s were an overflowing era of surreal and eccentric images, a perfect base for its signature aesthetics. As a child of the late 80s and early 90s, she was submerged in the dynamic and slightly bizarre world of television and children's toys. Programs like Teletubbies, Barney and the sadly famous chaos of Mr. Blobby have left a lasting impression, their strange but attractive qualities influencing the fun but disturbing tone of his work. His creations are found in this particular space where nostalgia meets the distortion – rates but slightly offset, comforting but vaguely strange.
A significant inspiration behind his approach is the work of the painter Mark Ryden, known for his Haumitically Saccharine compositions which mix innocence with a feeling of underlying discomfort. Like Ryden, the cabbage salad sporting pieces that blur the line between charm and discomfort, evoking a childhood wonder while finding the spectator. This balance is obvious in its most recognizable works, such as ice cream with four scoop barbie – a doll's head integrated into colored spoons, transforming a banal toy into something simultaneously absurd and delicious.
Its process is fluid and instinctive, motivated more by discovery than rigid planning. Rather than drawing ideas in advance, she selects a doll's head and allows the piece to evolve in an organic way, leaving the face to dictate the transformation. Each toy bears its own story, and by fire, it reinterprets this past in something new and unexpected. This spontaneity not only maintains its fresh work, but also strengthens the story of renewal and reuse at the heart of I Felt Kitsch.
Breathe a new life in forgotten toys: the art of reinvention
Supply equipment is an adventure in itself for cabbage salad. Rather than buying virgin supplies, she searches for thrown dolls, often stumbling over them in charity stores, sales of car boots and even abandoned in the streets. Some have been saved garbage cans behind thrift stores, a testimony to his commitment to recover and reinvent the neglected. There is a poetic quality in this practice – giving a second life to the objects once cherished but ultimately deemed disposable.
Each doll head she collects carries her own silent story, and incorporating them in cozy forms, she rewrites this story. His work calls into question the transitional nature of consumer goods, in particular in childhood culture, where toys which once have deep emotional importance are quickly rejected in favor of the next trend. By transforming these remains of the past into new and captivating forms, it invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nostalgia and material waste.
Its ability to merge sustainability with artistic vision extends beyond sculpture. Recognizing the growing interest in her conceptions within the tattoos community, she presented tattoo vouchers – a system that allows individuals to buy the rights to use her work of art for ink. This initiative comes from the remark of tattoo artists incorporating his creations into flash leaves, taking him to create a way for artists and customers to engage with his work while supporting his practice. The idea of permanence – of an ephemeral kitsch image becoming an indelible brand on someone's skin – is perfectly with its wider artistic philosophy to find a lasting value in the apparently transient apparatus.
Amy Curslaw: expand the world of i felt kitsch
While I felt that kitsch continues to grow, Colelaw's work reaches new audiences beyond the niche of felt sculpture. His participation to come to Textile Junction, an exhibition at Electro Studios in Hastings, marks an exciting opportunity to present his work within the wider community of textile arts. In addition, she has several current collaborations, referring to even more innovative intersections between her aesthetics and other creative disciplines.
The relationship between her work and the culture of tattooing is another avenue that she wishes to explore more. With a strong suite among the tattoo artists, she plans to set up a stand during a tattoo agreement, a decision that would allow her to engage directly with a community that shares her appreciation for daring and fun images. This portable art crossover has already started through a collaboration with Dynamic Style, the clothing brand of his partner, which launched a collection of clothes and tote bags inspired by its creations. These extensions point out an exciting evolution, fill the gap between the fine arts, the fashion and the aesthetics of the subculture.
At the heart of all this, the cabbage salad remains attached to its artistic message mainly – reducing the gravity of traditional art while defending sustainability and nostalgia. She encourages the public to find beauty in the unexpected, to embrace kitsch without hesitation and to reconsider the value of what society judges disposable. His work exists in a space where sentimentality meets satire, where the past is both honored and reinvented in a fun way. Whether through a cozy doll head, a tattooed design or a printed tote bag, I felt that kitsch continues to invite people in a world where the unloved become unforgettable.
