Piece by piece. Iowa Research Online. University of Iowa. Nataliya Vladimirovna Laux University of Iowa. Theses and Dissertations.

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1 University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Spring 2017 Piece by piece Nataliya Vladimirovna Laux University of Iowa Copyright 2017 Nataliya Vladimirovna Laux This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: Recommended Citation Laux, Nataliya Vladimirovna. "Piece by piece." MFA (Master of Fine Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Art Practice Commons

2 PIECE BY PIECE by Nataliya Vladimirovna Laux A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2017 Thesis Supervisor: Professor Kee-ho Yuen

3 Copyright by NATALIYA VLADIMIROVNA LAUX 2017 All Rights Reserved

4 Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL This is to certify that the Master s thesis of MASTER S THESIS Nataliya Vladimirovna Laux has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art at the May 2017 graduation. Thesis Committee: Kee-ho Yuen, Thesis Supervisor Steve McGuire Tim Barrett Andrew Casto

5 To people who wonder about life with humor ii

6 My crown is in my heart, not on my head; Not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen: my crown is called content: A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy. William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part III, III, I, 62 iii

7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee members: Professor Kee-ho Yuen, Professor and Area Head Steve McGuire, Professor Steve Barrett and Assistant Professor Andrew Casto for supporting me in my graduate work. My very special thanks go to Dr. Steve McGuire and Professor Kee-ho Yuen for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to become a graduate student at the University of Iowa School of Art and Art History. I am especially grateful to Professor Yuen for his countless hours of guidance, kindness and encouragement. I would like to thank the University of Iowa and the people of the state of Iowa for helping finance my education. I am very thankful to my fellow graduate and undergraduate students for their friendships, and especially to my dear friend Ching-Ting Yang. I would also like to thank all of my other professors in the School of Art, our graduate program coordinator, Laura Jorgensen, and Ben Anzelc, our studio supervisor. Last, but not least, I am thankful to my family and friends for their love and support. iv

8 PUBLIC ABSTRACT My MFA graduate work in Jewelry and Metal Arts has been dedicated to the conceptualization and creation of headpieces, such as crowns, headdresses and body adornments. Through my art, I explore such issues as the search for self-identity, selfautonomy and individualism. Ultimately, my work is about a quest for the self. I draw heavily from autobiographical experiences, which influence my story telling. These experiences were shaped by my growing up in the Soviet Union and Ukraine, and then later by my immigration to the United States. I love working with various metals as well as other alternative materials that I find interesting, ranging from fabrics, ceramics, plastics, and paper to found objects. I enjoy employing fabrication and forging processes. v

9 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES... VII PREFACE... XIII CHAPTER I BRIEF HISTORY OF HEAD ORNAMENTS... 1 EUROPEAN CROWNS AND TIARAS... 1 ETHNIC HEADDRESS CHAPTER II AND THE VERDICT IS: IT IS A HEADDRESS! DELUSIONAL NOSTALGIA OR TIME TO SHED THE PAST IN THE NAME OF GOD LEAVING MY COCOON CASTLE OUT OF RAIN BEAUTY LIES WITHIN BETWEEN TWO FIRES AN AMERICAN DREAM TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE AGONY OF CANCER-WHEN YOU HAVE NO SAY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES THE QUEEN OF NUTS VEILED EMOTIONS REFLECTIONS ON LIFE PIECE BY PIECE CHAPTER III INSPIRATIONS AND INFLUENCES CHAPTER IV MATERIALS AND PROCESSES CHAPTER V THE SHOW CHAPTER VI CLOSURE ENDNOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY vi

10 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: CROWN OF CHARLEMAGNE, GOLD, ENAMEL, PEARLS, PRECIOUS STONES, TREASURY MUSEUM, VIENNA, AUSTRIA, ACCESSED JANUARY 12, FIGURE 2: THE HEADDRESS OF SUMERIAN QUEEN PUABI OF UR, CIRCA 2500 B.C., GOLD, LAPIS LAZULI, CARNELIAN BEADS, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA, IN THE WORLDWIDE HISTORY OF DRESS, BY PATRICIA RIEFF ANAWALT, (NEW YORK: THAMES AND HUDSON: 2007), FIGURE 3: OVID WEARING LAUREL WREATH. ACCESSED FEBRUARY 19, FIGURE 4: INSPIRED BY BYZANTINE KAMELAUKION, CROWN OF CONSTANCE OF ARAGON-A HOLY ROMAN EMPRESS, QUEEN OF SICILY, WIFE OF FREDERICK II, CIRCA 1130, ROYAL PALACE, NAPLES, ITALY, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 19, FIGURE 5: KING OF POLAND SIGISMUND, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 28, FIGURE 6: A TIARA OF OAK LEAVES, ACORNS AND HOLLOW ACORN CUPS DESIGNED IN THE MANNER OF ANCIENT GREEK JEWELRY, SET WITH A PROFUSION OF BRILLIANT AND ROSE CUT DIAMONDS. MADE BY GARRARD AFTER THE NEO CLASSICAL FASHION OF THE EARLY 19 TH CENTURY FOR THE 15 TH DUKE OF NORFOLK TO GIVE HIS BRIDE, GWENDOLEN CONSTABLE MAXWELL, ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR MARRIAGE IN PRIVATE COLLECTION, AS REPRODUCED IN TIARAS: PAST AND PRESENT, BY GEOFFREY MUNN, (LONDON: V&A PUBLICATIONS, 2002): FIGURE 7: ANNA PAVLOVA (FAMOUS RUSSIAN COURT B) BALLERINA IS WEARING TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN KOKOSHNIK HEADDRESS, CIRCA , /KOKOSHNIK/?SF=AGYELDR#AXZZ4ZMQ8OJWM, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 1, vii

11 FIGURE 8: A TIARA IN THE FORM OF A TRADITIONAL BLUE VELVET KOKOSHNIK ACTUALLY MADE OF PLATINUM AND PLIQUE-À-JOUR ENAMEL OVERLAID WITH DIAMOND-SET FORGET-ME-NOT FLOWERS, EMBLEMATIC OF TRUE LOVE. PURCHASED BY THE 2 ND DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AT CHAUMET ON 29 OF SEPTEMBER 1911 FOR 375. IT IS SET WITH 280 BRILLIANT-CUT DIAMONDS AND 314 ROSE-CUT DIAMONDS. IN TIARAS: PAST AND PRESENT, BY GEOFFREY MUNN, (LONDON: V&A PUBLICATIONS, 2002), FIGURE 9: ROYAL HEADDRESS FROM YORUBA, 20 TH CENTURY, INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, ACCESSED JANUARY 15, FIGURE 10: SHEEPHORN HEADDRESS IS WORN BY 19 TH CENTURY MONGOLIAN WOMAN OF NOBILITY (FRONT AND BACK VIEW). THE SHEEPHORN HEADDRESS IS CREATED BY STIFFENING AND SHAPING THE HAIR WITH CONGEALED MUTTON FAT, THEN HOLDING IT IN PLACE WITH SILVER, TURQUOISE AND CORAL CLIPS. THE HAIR AT THE FRONT DISAPPEARS INTO TWO RICHLY DECORATED CONTAINERS OF GILT SILVER. TWO EMBROIDERED RIBBONS HANG DOWN THE BACK OF THE HEAD FROM A HAT THAT IS SURMOUNTED BY A HIGH SILVER POINT. IN THE WORLDWIDE HISTORY OF DRESS, BY PATRICIA RIEFF ANAWALT, (NEW YORK: THAMES AND HUDSON: 2007), FIGURE 11: CHIEF WETSIT, LEADER OF THE ASSINIBOIN PARTICIPANTS AT THE OMAHA EXPOSITION OF 1898, WEARING THE REMADE VERSION OF HIS ANTELOPE-HORN WAR BONNET. IN PLAINS INDIAN ART: THE PIONEERING WORK OF JOHN C. EWERS, BY JOHN EWERS, (NORMAN: UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, 2011), FIGURE 12: CHIEF WETSIT S ORIGINAL ANTELOPE-HORN WAR BONNET (FRONT, BACK AND SIDE VIEWS). IN PLAINS INDIAN ART: THE PIONEERING WORK OF JOHN C. EWERS, BY JOHN EWERS, (NORMAN: UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, 2011), FIGURE 13: CEREMONIAL HEADDRESS OF BLACKFOOT CHIEF, BLACKFOOT-INDIAN-PICTURES.HTML, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 4, FIGURE 14: CHIEF REYNARD FABER OF THE JICARILLA APACHE NATION, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 4, viii

12 FIGURE 15: A WEDDING FLOWER WREATH FROM THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAIN S REGION, 1930 S, -INCREDIBLE-FLOWER-CROWNS-OF-OLD-UKRAINIAN-WEDDING- PHOTOS?UTM_SOURCE=BOOMTRAIN&UTM_MEDIUM= &UTM_ CAMPAIGN= &BT_ =LOUVITS@HOTMAIL.COM&BT_TS= , ACCESSED FEBRUARY 5, FIGURE 16: CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN FLOWER HEADDRESS. PAGE_INTERNAL, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 5, FIGURE 17: A MARRIED WOMAN WEARING OCHIPOK OR NAMITKA HEADPIECE. ACCESSED FEBRUARY 5, FIGURE 18: VARIATIONS OF OCHIPOK FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF UKRAINE. TRADITIONAL-UKRAINIAN-HEADDRESSES, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 5, FIGURE 19: NATALIYA LAUX, DELUSIONAL NOSTALGIA OR TIME TO SHED THE PAST, 2015, COPPER, COPPER WIRE, CASSETTE TAPE, SNAKESKIN, HYDRAULIC PRESSED, POWDER COATED, 7 H X 14"W X 10"D FIGURE 20: MAIDAN REVOLUTION IN KIEV, UKRAINE, 2014, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 22, FIGURE 21: IMPERIAL CROWN OF RUSSIA, VENETS-YUVELIRNOGO-MASTERSTVA---ZNAMENITAYA-KORONA- ROSSIYSKOY-IMPERII, ACCESSED FEBRUARY 14, FIGURE 22: NATALIYA LAUX, IN THE NAME OF GOD, 2016, ALUMINUM, POWDER COATED, PORCELAIN, FABRIC, THREAD, 38 H X 23 W X 12 D, TRAIN-15FT. PHOTO BY NOAH WRIGHT AND KATIE WHITE FIGURE 23: NATALIYA LAUX, COWS IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS, UKRAINE, FIGURE 24: NATALIYA LAUX, LEAVING MY COCOON, 2015, BRASS, COPPER WIRE, FELT, COW BELL CASTED IN ALUMINUM AND POWDER COATED, FELT, FABRIC, RIBBON, 28.5 H X 14 W X 12 D ix

13 FIGURE 25: NATALIYA LAUX, CASTLE OUT OF RAIN, 2015, BRASS, BRASS WIRE, PORCELAIN, 27 H X 17 D X 17 W. PHOTO BY KATIE WHITE FIGURE 26: NATALIYA LAUX, BEAUTY LIES WITHIN, 2015, ELECTROFORMED 3D DIAMOND SHAPE, COPPER WIRE, HAND-MADE WATERMARKED PAPER, POWDER COATED, 5 H X 7 W X 7.5 D, (FRONT, BACK AND SIDE VIEWS) FIGURE 27: NATALIYA LAUX, BETWEEN TWO FIRES, 2015, STONEWARE CERAMICS, DECALS, TREE ROOT, THREAD, 31 H X 35 W X 15 D FIGURE 28: NATALIYA LAUX, AN AMERICAN DREAM, 2015, ALUMINUM, COPPER, POWDER COATED, CERAMICS, DECAL, 5 H X 12 D X 12 W FIGURE 29: NATALIYA LAUX, TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE, 2016, ACRYLIC, BUMBLEBEE CASTED IN BRONZE AND GOLD PLATED, ARGENTIUM SILVER, FOIL, 10 H X 8 W X 8 D FIGURE 30: NATALIYA LAUX, AGONY OF CANCER-WHEN YOU HAVE NO SAY, 2015, COPPER, SAND-CASTED ALUMINUM CANCER CELLS AND ANODIZED, POWDER COATED, 40"H X 14"W X 10"D, (FRONT, BACK AND SIDE VIEW). PHOTO BY KATIE WHITE FIGURE 31: NATALIYA LAUX, PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES, 2016, COPPER, ELECTROFORMED FOX HEAD, DEER ANTLER, FOX FUR, FABRIC, 19 H X 17 D X 22 W FIGURE 32: NATALIYA LAUX, THE QUEEN OF NUTS, 2015, COPPER, WALNUTS, FABRIC, NUTS CAST IN BRONZE, POWDER COATED, 18 H X 16 W X 8 D. PHOTO BY NOAH WRIGHT FIGURE 33: NATALIYA LAUX, VEILED EMOTIONS, 2017, ALUMINUM, COPPER, POWDER COATED, FABRIC, 73 H X 21 W X 23 D (SIDE AND FRONT VIEWS). PHOTO BY NOAH WRIGHT AND DOUG LAUX FIGURE 34: NATALIYA LAUX, REFLECTIONS ON LIFE, 2017, HORNET NEST, BRASS WIRE, BRASS, ALUMINUM, ACRYLIC, FABRIC, LACE, BEADS, FOIL, THREAD, 30 H X 44 W X 22 D. PHOTO BY NOAH WRIGHT FIGURE 35: NATALIYA LAUX, PIECE BY PIECE, 2017, BRASS WIRE, CERAMICS, FABRIC, 32 H X 10 W X 9 D. PHOTO BY KATIE WHITE x

14 FIGURE 36: ART OF ALEXANDER MCQUEEN. ACCESSED FEBRUARY 22, FIGURE 37: GEORGES HOBEIKA S DRESSES. FASHION/GEORGES-HOBEIKA-SPRING-SUMMER ACCESSED MARCH 14, FIGURE 38: ZUHAIR MURAD 2017 COLLECTION. FASHION-NEWS/ZUHAIR-MURAD-COUTURE-FALL-2016/. ACCESSED MARCH 14, FIGURE 39: FRIDA KAHLO, SELF-PORTRAIT ON THE BORDER BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES, 1932, OIL ON SHEET METAL, 12 ¼ X 13 ¾, PRIVATE COLLECTION, SELF-PORTRAIT-ALONG-THE-BOARDER-LINE.JSP, ACCESSED ON FEBRUARY 22, FIGURE 40: IMPERIAL STATE CROWN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II MADE IN 1953, A CLOSE REPLICA OF QUEEN VICTORIA S CROWN OF 1838, WHICH WAS REFURBISHED WITH STONES AND PEARLS FROM THE LATTER CROWN, IN A HISTORY OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF EUROPE, BY BARON EDWARD FRANCIS TWINING, (LONDON: B. T. BATSFORD LTD, 1960), FIGURE 41: HANDLING 20+ POUNDS OF NUTS FOR THE QUEEN OF NUTS FIGURE 42: MAKING WATERMARKED PAPER FOR BEAUTY LIES WITHIN FIGURE 43: MAKING A WAX MODEL FOR CASTING THE QUEEN OF NUTS FIGURE 44: SAND-CASTING CANCER CELLS FOR AGONY OF CANCER-WHEN YOU HAVE NO SAY FIGURE 45: MAKING A CLAY MODEL OF A FOX HEAD FROM PICTURE REFERENCE FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FIGURE 46: MAKING ALGINATE MOLD FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FIGURE 47: MAKING WAX MODEL FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FIGURE 48: PREPARING FOR ELECTROFORMING FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES xi

15 FIGURE 49: ELECTROFORMED AND VERY SHINY FOX HEAD FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FIGURE 50: SANDBLASTED (TOP) AND PATINATED (BOTTOM) FOR PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FIGURE 51: MFA SHOW BY NATALIYA LAUX. PHOTO BY NOAH WRIGHT FIGURE 52: MFA SHOW BY NATALIYA LAUX. PHOTOS BY NOAH WRIGHT AND DOUG LAUX FIGURE 53: MFA SHOW BY NATALIYA LAUX. PHOTOS BY NOAH WRIGHT AND DOUG LAUX xii

16 PREFACE If you find yourself reading my thesis, Reader, I thank you. It may not be the most thrilling essay you come across, but behind this work lie many years of self-searching in my quest to answer one question: What is it that I want to do with my life? To my own surprise, I realized that I wanted to become an artist. Now, after three years of graduate studies, I hope that you can relate to the subject matter of this thesis and enjoy my art. xiii

17 CHAPTER I BRIEF HISTORY OF HEAD ORNAMENTS EUROPEAN CROWNS AND TIARAS Crown of Charlemagne: This crown of gold, enamel, pearls and precious stones, the most venerable of all the crowns in the world, was never used by Charlemagne. It was made for Otto I, the founder of the Holy Roman Empire of Germany, and remodeled by Otto III, who added the gem-studded arch. An emblem of temporal power, it is designed to be worn with a mitre, symbol of spiritual authority. When in 1938 Hitler annexed Austria he demanded that the crown be brought to Nuremberg from Vienna. In an attempt to defend the crown the Austrian curator pointed out that it carried enameled portraits of two Jews, David and Solomon. Hitler hesitated, but pressed his demand nonetheless. When the Americans liberated Nuremberg the crown had disappeared. Local Nazi leaders, arrested and questioned, insisted that it had been thrown into the deepest lake in Austria. Unconvinced, the American officers arrested the mayor of Nuremberg who, under considerable pressure, revealed the truth: Himmler himself had given orders to hide the crown and spread the legend of its disappearance. Following the mayor s instructions, the American climbed down into a bunker deep underground, where they found, sealed inside a wall, a locked copper chest containing the Crown of Charlemagne. It was returned to Austria, where it remains to this day. (Fig. 1) Prince Michael of Greece, Crown Jewels of Europe Figure 1: Crown of Charlemagne, gold, enamel, pearls, precious stones, Treasury Museum, Vienna, Austria, accessed January 12,

18 In my first year of graduate school, I developed a strong but unexpected interest in making headdresses. The idea dawned upon me in a most definitive way, although at first I did not fully understand why. Somehow I knew that head adornment would be the perfect venue for my self-expression. So, I began making anything that can be worn on the head or close to it. My collection soon included crowns, tiaras, headdresses, and body adornments. As I became fascinated with making headdresses, I began to question my own curiosity about the subject matter. What does the headdress say about the wearer? Could I convey my own personal questions, thoughts and beliefs through the headdress? Furthermore, why was I resuscitating the dead by focusing on an art form that seemed relegated to history only? Or, maybe it was not so dead? I kept wondering. The history of head adornment goes hand in hand with the history of human civilization. For thousands of years, people adorned their heads with some sort of head ornamentation, be it a wreath made of real or dry flowers, a lily crown, a crown made of precious stones, or tribal headwear made of materials readily available from nature. The history of headdress is so rich and fascinating that it would be impossible to cover even the smallest part of it in this thesis. To provide a complete and accurate history of headdress would also be nearly impossible. There is a lack of historical data available from ancient civilizations, as well as a paucity of surviving pieces and reliable sources of documentation. Other reasons include unstudied archival data from different countries, crowns still to be discovered from private collections, bank vaults or those buried underground in royal tombs, etc. 1 Furthermore, our understanding of the history of crown jewels and native headdress is both complicated and enhanced by contributions of different authors from different countries around the world. 2

19 When talking about headdresses, I would like to make a distinction between the European style crowns and tiaras, on the one hand, and headdresses used by the indigenous peoples around the world, on the other. European style crowns and tiaras were usually created by the best Court goldsmiths and were made of precious metals, precious or semi-precious gems and pearls. Gemstones, in particular, were an important part of the Crown jewels because they were expensive and could be removed from the crown and sold or reused in another piece of jewelry. The crown, along with the scepter, the orb and the sword was the most recognizable object of royal authority from the times of the Middle Ages in Western Europe. 2 All across Europe, it represented royal status and the wealth of the individual or monarchy; it claimed to possess magical powers and served as a security for a loan or cash. The first recorded account of a crown being used as an important regal tool was written on Christmas Day in the year 800. This first recorded coronation was that of Charlemagne, King of the Franks, by Pope Leo III in the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome. 3 Charlemagne s coronation crown did not survive, and virtually nothing is known about it. The only thing that survived from the mother of all crowns was its name: diadem of Caesar, ring of gold or precious crown. 4 Crowns, along with other jewels, became more than just objects of admiration beginning in the late 16 th century. Royalty across the European continent considered crowns and royal jewels as inseparable assets of each particular monarchy. It was Prince Francis I of France who on June 15 th, 1530 passed a degree that patented the eight pieces of his jewelry collection, the gemstones in particular, to be recognized as the Jewels of the Crown. 5 The French crown and its stones were carefully inventoried beginning with 3

20 the rule of Henry IV in As a result, the Crown Jewels (the coronation ornaments, the state regalia and the personal crowns) began to be considered a national insignia in many European countries. They were safeguarded by the representatives of the Church, such as the Royal Abbey of St. Denis in France or the abbot and the monks of Westminster in England. In other countries, all princely regalia were kept at the royal treasury and were worn only during the special occasions such as coronations. Such national regalia were not considered the King s property but rather were passed on to future rulers and were not allowed to be taken outside of the kingdom. This was the case in such countries as France, England, Prussia and Sweden. In Austria, Bavaria, Spain and Russia, for example, the crown jewels remained the personal property of the sovereigns. 7 The fact that coronation regalia were restricted for use on special occasions only prompted a second set of regalia to be made in most countries for other uses. Thus, crowns were made for other occasions such as wars, festivities, weddings, funerals and burials. Other varieties of special crowns also existed. They comprised votive crowns, which were royal gifts to be hung before an altar, crowns as a gift to the church to contain relics, such as receptacles for thorns from the Crown of Thorns and reliquary crowns. Oftentimes, older crowns were deconstructed due to change of fashions and stones reset into new crowns or separate pieces of jewelry. In times of civil wars or foreign invasions, many crowns, including those that were safeguarded, were pawned, broken up and sold, to raise money to finance a war or to pay off personal or national debt. 8 From the 18 th century to the Russian Revolution of 1917, Russian aristocracy and members of the imperial court possessed the most valuable gemstone jewelry and crown jewelry collections in the world. 9 But because of the unfortunate events of the Russian revolution, 4

21 many members of the aristocracy fled the country carrying their most valuable possessions jewelry with them. The eyewitness, the Paris dealer Leon Rosenthal, recalled: How many of them risked their lives to escape across the frontier with their jewels, the only thing they still possessed. Only under cover of darkness did they dare advance along the Finnish border, sliding in the snow and clutching desperately to the small sacks, which contained an entire fortune. How the bullets whistled through the air whenever the Red Guards caught sight of their fleeing countrymen! What tricks they used to protect their precious jewels from the snares of Bolshevik agents! A luxuriant head of hair might serve to conceal jewels worth millions. Other who feared the rigours of persecution swallowed their diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies, leaving nature to return them to them. All the great jewelers and dealers in gemstones knew the Russian aristocrats and bourgeois who, before their eyes, threw open cases filled with magnificent jewels, saying, Buy these, they re all that stands between me and starvation. 10 Cartier s famous patron Grand Duchess Vladimir fled Russia to Switzerland. Upon her death, her most treasured diamond bow-knot tiara was passed to the Queen Mary of England and her sapphire tiara to Queen Marie of Romania. 11 For the need of cash, Philip II of Spain sold three Hapsburg crowns in 1561, while the King of Sweden- Sigismund Vasa pawned his crown jewels for his army at the end of 16 th century. 12 Gemstones were valued not only for their rarity and beauty, but also for the special powers attributed to them. Recordings from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance described a diamond, for instance, as: good against enemies, wild beasts, venomous beasts and cruel men, the amethyst as good against drunkenness, the emerald as a stone, which maketh a man to understand well and giveth to him a good memory. 13 Opals and rubies were considered the stones that guide, while sapphires represented strength and protected from many illnesses, such as cardiac weakness. 14 Some gems in the royal crowns are legendary. Their histories in the past two hundred years or so are relatively known, but those older than this became embellished 5

22 with legends and stories, true or not. Some of the older famous crown gems are The Black Prince s Ruby, The Stuart Sapphire, The Cullinan Diamond and Queen Elizabeth s Ear-Rings. 15 Head ornamentation has changed and reinvented itself throughout the history of mankind. It began as a simple ornament made with flowers and found materials, later transforming into metal found in Etruscan and Scythian civilizations (Fig. 2). Figure 2: The Headdress of Sumerian Queen Puabi of Ur, circa 2500 B.C., gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian beads, University of Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia, PA, in The Worldwide History of Dress, by Patricia Rieff Anawalt, (New York: Thames and Hudson: 2007), 35. 6

23 Alexander the Great fostered the mining of gold, which in turn stimulated production of gold head ornaments. Pre-Christian emperors wore the laurel wreath or the diadem (Fig. 3). Figure 3: Ovid wearing laurel wreath. accessed February 19, Aurelian, the Roman Emperor, is believed to be the first to introduce the diadem, which was made of broad ribbon with precious stones set between two strings of pearls. Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced stephanos, a golden circlet on top of which the diadem was to be worn. He also introduced the Imperial State helmet to be worn by the Emperor himself and his military chiefs. The Emperor s helmet had to be decorated, gilded and adorned with a diadem. 16 The Imperial Crown, or stemma first appears in the 6 th century. It was decorated with pendants that hung over the ears and were called cataseistae. The Emperor had an exclusive right to wear cataseistae. A stemma from the 9 th century Macedonian Dynasty was a version of a modified helmet with arches. In the 10 th and 11 th centuries, it was 7

24 made of fabric, gems, pearls and a cross attached to the very top. A new type of crown, the kamelaukion, was introduced by the Comnenus Dynasty at the end of the 11 th century and was adopted from the headdress of Greek and Syrian Popes (Fig. 4). The textile cap with two gold cross pieces, later creating a complete hemisphere, covered the head. This type of Imperial crown existed until the end of the Byzantine Empire. 17 Figure 4: Inspired by Byzantine kamelaukion, Crown of Constance of Aragon-a Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Sicily, wife of Frederick II, circa 1130, Royal Palace, Naples, Italy, accessed February 19, With the coronation of Pepin the Short in 751 AD, King of the Franks and father of Charlemagne, the term corona was used to represent a crown in Europe. An arched crown appeared in Western Europe in the 9th century. Although it was similar to the 8

25 Byzantine crown, it is unclear whether it developed from the Byzantine crown or from the helmet design of the Teutonic knights. During the reign of Henry I in England in the 11 th century, the helmet crown was recorded for the first time. This helped to identify the king when in armor. Wearing a crown on top of the helmet required that the crown be open. A version of this, an open lily crown, became very popular in France. The popularity of the open lily crown extended to other parts of Europe after the Battle of Bouvines in Conrad III, a king of Germany in the Middle Ages, developed a crown with two crossing arches surmounted by an orb and cross (Fig. 5). This design became popular all across the European continent. 18 Figure 5: King of Poland Sigismund, accessed February 28,

26 Along with the crowns, the style of tiaras evolved from the Greek and Roman times until today. Tiaras became very popular by the end of the 15 th century. They are usually decorated with plant or flower motifs, embellished with diamonds, pearls and gems (Fig. 6). Tiaras not only represented the symbol of power, wealth and fashion, but also expressed love, passion and the rite of passage. Different stones and flowers had a special language of meanings. Roses, for example, represented everything about love, daisies - innocence, acorns - fertility, pearls - love, rubies - passion, diamonds - eternity. Figure 6: A tiara of oak leaves, acorns and hollow acorn cups designed in the manner of Ancient Greek jewelry, set with a profusion of brilliant and rose cut diamonds. Made by Garrard after the neo classical fashion of the early 19 th century for the 15 th Duke of Norfolk to give his bride, Gwendolen Constable Maxwell, on the occasion of their marriage in Private Collection, as reproduced in TIARAS: Past and Present, by Geoffrey Munn, (London: V&A Publications, 2002): 17. Tiaras were not always popular. Falling in and out of favor, they had almost disappeared until the rise of neo-classicism of the 18 th century. 19 Tiaras, more so than crowns and headdresses, survived quite successfully till the modern day. Modified, cheaper versions are popular among brides-to-be. A close relative of the tiara is the Russian traditional headdress called kokoshnik (Fig. 7). It was constructed of a stiff card 10

27 covered with fabric, and was worn in many forms by women of all ages and levels of society. Thanks to the creativity of Fabergé, the kokoshnik became a new and popular form of head decoration around the world (Fig. 8). He adorned it with pearls and gems and continued to popularize it for another decade after the Russian Revolution of Figure 7: Anna Pavlova (famous Russian Court b) ballerina is wearing traditional Russian kokoshnik headdress, circa , accessed February 1,

28 Figure 8: A tiara in the form of a traditional blue velvet kokoshnik actually made of platinum and pliqueà-jour enamel overlaid with diamond-set forget-me-not flowers, emblematic of true love. Purchased by the 2 nd Duke of Westminster at Chaumet on 29 of September 1911 for 375. It is set with 280 brilliant-cut diamonds and 314 rose-cut diamonds. In TIARAS: Past and Present, by Geoffrey Munn, (London: V&A Publications, 2002),

29 ETHNIC HEADDRESS Symbols are seldom abstract in any genuine sense; their ties with nature persist, to be discovered through the study of context and association No symbol can be treated in isolation; understanding the parts leads to understanding the whole, which in turn leads to identifying more of the parts Archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, The Language of the Goddess: Unearthing the Hidden Symbols of Western Civilization Figure 9: Royal headdress from Yoruba, 20 th century, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, accessed January 15,

30 Another type of head ornamentation from which I draw my inspiration is the socalled ethnic headdress (Fig. 9). In this context, ethnic headdress is a broad term that may include a variety of head adornments worn by peoples of different ethnic backgrounds and cultures from any part of the world. The history and variety of ethnic headdress is so rich that it presents a wealth of material for countless dissertations. Ethnic head ornamentation, just like the royal crowns, played an important role in the self-identity of the wearer. Encoded with visual language, a headdress could symbolize status, power, wealth, age or religion (Fig. 10). It could define cultural distinctions between tribe or clan members, designate gender, identify marital status and distinguish among mothers, daughters, widows, etc. Personal life milestones required different headdresses to address the occasion of marriage, birth, death, war and victory, for example. 21 Compared to European crowns and tiaras, ethnic headdress represented a much wider scope of themes. It could express real worlds or mystical ones, incorporate animal designs or plant motifs, and transform the wearer into half animal and half human creatures. Ethnic crowns were used for shamanic rituals and served as protectors against evil. They played ritualistic role in various ceremonies. 14

31 Figure 10: Sheephorn headdress is worn by 19 th century Mongolian woman of nobility (front and back view). The sheephorn headdress is created by stiffening and shaping the hair with congealed mutton fat, then holding it in place with silver, turquoise and coral clips. The hair at the front disappears into two richly decorated containers of gilt silver. Two embroidered ribbons hang down the back of the head from a hat that is surmounted by a high silver point. In The Worldwide History of Dress, by Patricia Rieff Anawalt, (New York: Thames and Hudson: 2007), 136. Ethnic headdresses were generally made of less precious materials compared to European crowns and tiaras. Most of the time, such objects were made with materials available in the maker s geographic area, although some imported materials were also used, if feasible. Instead of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls used in crowns, for instance, ethnic craftspeople used bones, feathers, animal teeth, dry flowers, beads, glass, animal skins, insects, shells, coral, ivory and other handy materials. Raw material that came from animals, such as rawhides, teeth, feathers or horns, often inspired head crowns of animal themes and designs

32 Plains Indians in the United States and Canada, for example, hunted a variety of animals, such as buffalo, bear, elk or the weasel. They used them for food, hides for clothes, decorations, medicinal purposes and other reasons. The antelope was one of the animals that greatly benefited the Plains Indians. They hunted the antelope for food and its hide, as well as for its beautiful black horns. These were thought to possess special powers that made its wearer speedy like the animal a great asset to any Assiniboin warrior. 23 Assiniboin Indians of the Upper Missouri Valley owned three of the most wellknown antelope-horn headdresses. The history of one of these, a sacred war bonnet, is a testament to the powers attributed to the headdress by its owner. This bonnet belongs to Joshua Wetsit of Fort Peck Reservation in Montana. It is a hat with a beaded band covered in a multitude of feathers. Two large male antelope horns sit on top. A long piece of rattlesnake skin is attached to the back, representing craftiness. Chief Wetsit, Joshua s stepfather, was a distinguished warrior among his tribesmen, and he wore his war bonnet in every raid against his enemy, the Piegan (one of the Blackfoot tribes). He was confident that it possessed supernatural powers, and that it was the reason behind his war victories. 16

33 Figure 11: Chief Wetsit, leader of the Assiniboin participants at the Omaha Exposition of 1898, wearing the remade version of his antelope-horn war bonnet. In Plains Indian Art: the Pioneering Work of John C. Ewers, by John Ewers, (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2011), 139. In the spring of 1878, Chief Wetsit s relative, Night Traveler, asked him if he could borrow his war medicine bonnet for himself. At first, Chief Wetsit refused, but later gave in. Night Traveler took the bonnet and joined six other warriors to steal horses from the Piegan near the Bear Paw Mountains. Night Traveler and three of his tribesmen never returned. That night, the Piegan took Wetsit s war bonnet and the scalps of the four Assiniboin. Joshua Wetsit always thought that the bonnet that Chief Wetsit had worn during the Omaha Exposition in 1898 was the original one (Fig. 11). As he learned many years later, it was a copy of the original that Wetsit had made. Chief Wetsit knew that since he had not permanently relinquished its supernatural powers to Night Traveler, but only lent him the bonnet for the night s raid, he could fashion a new bonnet and imbue it with the natural powers that he retained. 17

34 Later in life, when Joshua travelled to the Blackfeet Reservation, an interpreter told him that he knew of an Assiniboin war bonnet that was in the Piegan s possession. Joshua approached Rides-at-the-Door, a Piegan, who told him that his brother Many-Tail- Feathers was the one to capture the bonnet from the four Assiniboin that had been killed that night. Many-Tail-Feathers son William-Tail-Feathers was the owner of the bonnet now. As soon as Joshua saw the bonnet, he recognized it immediately as his stepfather s original headdress, but William-Tail-Feathers refused to part with it. Sixty-one years after the Piegan took the bonnet in 1939, William-Tail-Feathers changed his mind, and returned the bonnet back to Joshua (Fig. 12). Figure 12: Chief Wetsit s original antelope-horn war bonnet (front, back and side views). In Plains Indian Art: the Pioneering Work of John C. Ewers, by John Ewers, (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2011),

35 A special ceremony was held at which the war headdress was formally returned to the Assiniboin. The ceremony was described by Alvin Warrior, a Sioux Indian and later published in the Indians at Work and by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington: Over sixty men and women were fully dressed in beaded buckskin and war bonnets for the occasion, while over two hundred others took part in the victory dance. A mystic pole was placed in the center of the hall to symbolize long life. Around this pole were stacked beautiful quilts and gifts from both the Blackfeet and Assiniboin. An altar had been prepared containing live charcoal and sweetsmelling herbs. Chief Many Coups of the Blackfeet gave a long prayer to the Great Spirit. William Tail Feathers, Blackfeet leader and keeper of the Sacred Medicine Head Bonnet, with other members of his tribe, advanced to the altar, and after the smoke had purified the Medicine Head Bonnet, it was placed on the altar to signify the true and everlasting friendship of the Assiniboin and Blackfeet. With the return of the sacred bonnet William Tail Feathers also gave his name Tail Feather to Joshua Wetsit, the Assiniboin. Thomas Duck, a ninety-year-old Assiniboin, survivor of many war parties against the Blackfeet, chanted and danced around the altar to seal the pact of friendship. This was followed by a victory dance and a feast of wild game. 24 The eagle-feather bonnet is another iconic headdress example of the North America s aboriginal peoples (Fig. 13). This type of headdress prevailed on the prairies and Plains among the Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Arapaho, Blackfeet and other Indian tribes. The feather flared bonnets were the most magnificent among the headdresses (Fig. 14). 19

36 Figure 13: Ceremonial Headdress of Blackfoot Chief, accessed February 4, Figure 14: Chief Reynard Faber of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, accessed February 4,

37 According to Joe Swift Bird, an Oglala elder, the feathers resembled the sun and its rays. Elaine Quiver, an Oglala spiritual leader, mentioned that the feathers were sacred and must be treated with an absolute respect. If a feather falls to the ground, a ceremony is necessary to set things right with the Spirit World. 25 There are two characteristic types of eagle-feather headdresses: the powwow and the sacred one. The powwow is usually fanned while the sacred one has feathers straight up. Each headdress must be blessed before being worn in public, and the owner may pass it later to the next person without additional blessings. 26 According to the late Royal Bull Bear, an Oglala elder: They are always symbols of dignity, modesty and tradition, and headdress-wearers always merit special status, heading honor processions. 27 Clayton Old Elk, the Crow elder, says: You have to earn the right to wear an eagle-feather headdress. 28 Only distinguished warriors could wear an eaglefeather war bonnet where each feather represented that warrior s specific war honor. Each feather represented an enemy, and if a dyed red tip of the hair was attached to the end of the feather, it represented the rival s scalp lock. Sometimes the skin of the ermine would be attached to the bonnet to represent that warrior s quick skills. 29 Another style of ethnic headdress of special importance to me is the traditional headdress from Ukraine. Its roots are dating back to pagan traditions and pre-christian times. Each region of the country had its unique styles of headdress suitable for different occasions. A girl, for example, would wear a fresh flower wreath when she became of age. She could also receive a beautiful wreath from her family and friends on her wedding day (Fig. 15). 21

38 Figure 15: A wedding flower wreath from the Carpathian Mountain s region, 1930 s, mail.com&bt_ts= , accessed February 5, Figure 16: Contemporary Ukrainian flower headdress. accessed February 5,

39 Such a wreath was rather simple to make: fresh or paper flowers were attached to stiff paperboard and colorful ribbons tied it on the back of the head (Fig. 16). As soon as the girl was married, she would have to completely cover her head, hair, forehead, ears and sometimes her neck with a headpiece called the ochipok (Fig. 17 & 18). She would be introduced to the ochipok on her wedding day and would wear it from dawn to dusk, removing it only before going to sleep. The ochipok had different names in different areas of the country. This type of head covering was made of silk, brocade or chintz. It was decorated with colorful embroidery, ribbons, yarn, lace and sometimes coins or feathers, depending on the region. Embroidery had a language of its own, symbolizing a variety of things, ranging from wishes for fertility, prosperity, a good harvest, and health or simply protecting from evil spirits

40 Figure 17: A married woman wearing ochipok or namitka headpiece. accessed February 5,

41 Figure 18: Variations of ochipok from different regions of Ukraine. accessed February 5, In conclusion, the use of head ornamentation has a rich history that spans across all cultures and eras of human civilization. No matter how expensive the materials were to create each piece, each represented a basic human purpose. This could be to project the wearer s role in society, an individual s wealth, and political or religious affiliations. Head decoration had always been, and still remains today, an important part of ceremonial traditions around the world. The tradition of making and using headdresses has survived through thousands of years and will undoubtedly continue to evolve in the future. Headdresses continue to play important roles in modern societies around the world, including in weddings and religious ceremonies. They are a fixture in the performing arts, entertainment and fashion industries, to name a few. Last but not least, they continue to serve as objects of curiosity in the art world in general. 25

42 CHAPTER II AND THE VERDICT IS: IT IS A HEADDRESS! I m about what goes through people s minds, the stuff that people don t want to admit or face up to. The shows are about what s buried in people s psyches. Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty I have dedicated my graduate studies to the creation of objects to be worn on the head, mainly focusing on crowns, tiaras, headdresses as well as body ornamentation close to the head and neck. I think a variety of factors have influenced my interest in headdresses, such as my Eastern European upbringing and familiarity with the ethnic headdress, my performance arts background, my liking anything big and dramatic, but most importantly the versatility of a head crown. Resting on one s head, a crown or a headdress instantly draws attention to its wearer. Its proximity to the head suggests that there is a connection to the person s brain the center of one s consciousness and thought. My headdresses describe the moods, thoughts and topics that interest me. The subject of my interest can generally be narrowed down to such categories as the search for self-identity, autonomy and individualism. I am curious to explore and expose behaviors of an individual trying to survive in the collective society, being bound by its laws, expectations and cultural norms. Survivorship, conformity and personal defense mechanisms are psychological subjects that I frequently investigate. My work, simply put, is about the quest for the self. I employ autobiographical narratives, which are based on my own feelings and experiences about these issues. My perceptions are influenced 26

43 by my growing up in the Soviet Union and Ukraine, as well as my life as an immigrant in the United States. When looking at my body of work, it is easy to notice that each object is quite different from the next. My works do not fit into a series with similar features. I approach each of my crowns as a unique conversation, where each piece allegorically makes up an individual story in a collection of short stories. In the following pages, I would like to present some of my pieces. 27

44 DELUSIONAL NOSTALGIA OR TIME TO SHED THE PAST Figure 19: Nataliya Laux, Delusional Nostalgia or Time to Shed the Past, 2015, copper, copper wire, cassette tape, snakeskin, hydraulic pressed, powder coated, 7 H x 14"W x 10"D. 28

45 My very first crown - Delusional Nostalgia or Time to Shed the Past was inspired by the Ukrainian revolution that began in the fall of 2013 (Fig. 19). As I have mentioned, I grew up in the Soviet Union, more precisely, in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a country that does not exist anymore. In 1991, Ukraine became an independent state and began its turbulent path in the world, caught among capitalism, socialism, communism and lost identity. In the fall of 2013, thousands of Ukrainians came to the center square to protest against the corrupt Viktor Janukovych regime. When Janukovych suddenly reversed the promised integration agreement between Ukraine and the European Union in favor of making a union with Russia, people took to the streets in protest (Fig. 20). In February 2014, in a deadly clash with police and unidentified snipers, more than 100 people were killed at the center of Kiev and more than 1,100 were injured. Janukovych fled from Ukraine to Russia. As soon as the new government took over, Ukraine was attacked by Russia, its neighboring country, which soon annexed Crimea, Ukraine s southern territory, and began the bloody war in the Eastern part of Ukraine. Figure 20: Maidan Revolution in Kiev, Ukraine, 2014, accessed February 22,

46 Such events were devastating for all Ukrainians, including me. We had always viewed Russia as our kin. For centuries, Ukraine and Russia shared a common history and both had been part of the Soviet Empire. Both peoples are highly integrated and many have relatives on either side. Ukrainian and Russian are spoken interchangeably throughout Ukraine. The events of the Maidan Revolution sparked an awakening in Ukrainian identity. This has resulted in a shift away from our Russian/Soviet- dominated mentality and culture toward a more transparent and corruption-free society. Ukrainians were realizing that Russia was our friend only so far as Ukraine would continue to be quietly submissive to its control. Figure 21: Imperial crown of Russia, znamenitaya-korona-rossiyskoy-imperii, accessed February 14, Delusional Nostalgia or Time to Shed the Past is created in a style of a Russian Imperial Crown, stuffed with cassette tape with the music from my Soviet adolescence (Fig. 21). The tape represents my experiences and memories that shaped my early life. Although these recordings bring happy memories I, like millions of Ukrainians, am in search of my Ukrainian identity while trying to move beyond that very Soviet past. A 30

47 snake is crawling through the broken Soviet star, representing the evil empire, while the snake s shed skin also hints at the renewal that Ukraine has to go through to survive. Not only is my country currently going through an identity crisis, but also its people are now strongly divided between being pro-soviet or pro-russian and anti-soviet or pro- Ukrainian. This piece comes with a musical soundtrack with a twist. I use a song written by Zhanna Aguzarova, who sang it right after serving time in a Soviet prison for being a rock musician. 31

48 IN THE NAME OF GOD Figure 22: Nataliya Laux, In The Name of God, 2016, aluminum, powder coated, porcelain, fabric, thread, 38 H x 23 W x 12 D, train-15ft. Photo by Noah Wright and Katie White. 32

49 Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the main religion in Ukraine and Russia. This piece questions the support of the Moscow Patriarchate for the current war in Ukraine (Fig. 22). It has not been unusual to see video footage of Russian Orthodox priests blessing soldiers before they go off to fight in Ukraine. The headdress takes the form of a golden cupola representing the Orthodox church, with two eagle heads emerging at the bottom ends of the structure, representing the inseparable nature of the Russian state and church. The veil and ceramic droplets represent a trail of blood. Without questioning the motives of the state, the Russian Orthodox Church has justified fratricide in the name of God. 33

50 LEAVING MY COCOON Figure 23: Nataliya Laux, Cows in the Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine, Figure 24: Nataliya Laux, Leaving My Cocoon, 2015, brass, copper wire, felt, cow bell casted in aluminum and powder coated, felt, fabric, ribbon, 28.5 H x 14 W x 12 D. 34

51 When recently visiting the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, I came upon a beautiful pasture with a herd of cows, which served as an inspiration for the Leaving My Cocoon headpiece (Fig. 23 & 24). The scenery was breathtaking. I felt an immense sense of tranquility when I watched cows slowly grazing over the quaint pastures in the mountains. The sound of cowbells filled the air and brought music to my soul. I was fascinated to watch how these cows would roam the village streets and pastures by themselves, knowing when to come home for dinner and milking. If a cow were lost, though, the owner would try to locate it by the sound of its bell. As I watched the cows, I wanted to become one of them, allowing myself to be led, conforming to the group and distancing myself from the stresses of modern life. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I would not last long among them. I recognized that I was unable to change to become a follower even if I wanted to. Staying in the safety of one s cocoon might be desirable for many, while leaving it is a choice of a few. I wondered if it was a comfort and a sense of belonging that I longed for? But then, what is comfort anyway? When does comfortable become uncomfortable and vice versa? Do the comforts of conforming ever outweigh the loss of individuality? Which is easier: to be a follower or to be followed? Perhaps, I did want to submit, or I was simply mesmerized by the beauty of the Carpathian Mountains. This headpiece is covered with felt materials outside, resembling the cocoon. A cowbell, hanging on the neck, was cast in aluminum and has a ringer inside. However, the ringer is detached and does not ring. As I grow older and come out of the safety of my cocoon more often, I realize that I find music in my bell not ringing. 35

52 CASTLE OUT OF RAIN Figure 25: Nataliya Laux, Castle Out of Rain, 2015, brass, brass wire, porcelain, 27 H x 17 D x 17 W. Photo by Katie White. Castle Out of Rain head crown is meant to resemble a house that crumbles and is being washed out by the rain (Fig. 25). The house is an allegory to a dream that has never been realized, and one quickly recognizes that it was simply a delusion, a false fantasy, not worthy of pursuit. At first, a fantasy or hope brings satisfaction, but as time passes it often becomes a disappointment or a mistake. This piece was inspired by a song from my youth called Castle Out of Rain sung by Vladimir Presnyakov (1994). 36

53 BEAUTY LIES WITHIN Figure 26: Nataliya Laux, Beauty Lies Within, 2015, electroformed 3D diamond shape, copper wire, handmade watermarked paper, powder coated, 5 H x 7 W x 7.5 D, (front, back and side views). 37

54 While I was taking the Western Papermaking class, I had decided to make a tiara, which would combine hand-made paper and metal. This is how my next piece Beauty Lies Within originated (Fig. 26). The central part of this tiara resembles a rare blue diamond. Its back is cut as a 2D shape of the diamond. Hand-made paper with a diamond watermark in the middle is held inside the container. When one is looking at the watermarked paper, it is not obvious that the mark is there. One has to shine a light on the watermark so that it appears. This piece is about looking into the human soul, and seeing the internal beauty within, similarly to discovering a beautiful watermark within a sheet of paper. I also wanted to make a parallel that each person essentially is a rare gem. The supporting wires are silver and mimic a ring structure that usually holds the stone. As an old tradition, some crowns and tiaras can be taken apart and their parts can be used as brooches, earrings or necklaces. The blue diamond container in my tiara can be taken out and used as a pendant. The blue diamond structure is electroformed and powder coated blue. 38

55 BETWEEN TWO FIRES Figure 27: Nataliya Laux, Between Two Fires, 2015, stoneware ceramics, decals, tree root, thread, 31 H x 35 W x 15 D. Between Two Fires is a ceramics-based piece that shows the tension that an immigrant experiences by not settling between either of two countries: the one of choice and the other of origin. This is an object that goes over a person s hands (Fig. 27). Between Two Fires represents a traditional Ukrainian ritualistic cloth called rushnyk, which is meant to protect against all evil. One end of it represents my Ukrainian side with large organic roots attached to it my Eastern European roots. The other end is holding two cans of coke iconic objects representing the United States. One can is 39

56 perfect and stands for all good things that I like about the United States; and the other one is smashed not so good things. 40

57 AN AMERICAN DREAM Figure 28: Nataliya Laux, An American Dream, 2015, aluminum, copper, powder coated, ceramics, decal, 5 H x 12 D x 12 W. An American Dream is a necklace that delves into my immigration experiences (Fig. 28). The white picket fence is a fence around the house, except here, a person s head serves as a house. The squashed ceramic coke can is acting as an entrance into the not so perfect American dream. 41

58 TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE Figure 29: Nataliya Laux, To Bee or Not to Bee, 2016, acrylic, bumblebee casted in bronze and gold plated, Argentium silver, foil, 10 H x 8 W x 8 D. This piece is about finding one s path in life despite the insecurities and hardships that one might incur in the process. As humans we are able to think independently and make our own life choices. However, many of us are insecure or conform to the expectations of others in order to be accepted, forfeiting our autonomy and selfexpression. Whatever the circumstances may be, I am always curious how one perseveres to overcome the obstacles. To Bee or Not to Bee headpiece is about choices one makes in life. It has two parts: a beehive cap that goes on one s head and a beehive mouthpiece with a bumblebee attached in the middle (Fig. 29). The wearer s head represents a beehive and the bee is flying into it. 42

59 Bees are highly social creatures. Similar to humans, bees perform a variety of social roles and jobs. Bees are often born into their jobs and are programmed to do certain tasks. In contrast, humans usually choose which career path they will pursue in society, which recognized or not, often comes with a moral expense. While I was making this headpiece, I remembered my own experiences working for corporate America. I chose not to conform to that job, ultimately refusing the idea of becoming a bee in a beehive. As William Shakespeare said: To be, or not to be that is the question. 43

60 AGONY OF CANCER-WHEN YOU HAVE NO SAY Figure 30: Nataliya Laux, Agony of Cancer-When You Have No Say, 2015, copper, sand-casted aluminum cancer cells and anodized, powder coated, 40"H x 14"W x 10"D, (front, back and side view). Photo by Katie White. 44

61 During my graduate school, my beloved Rottweiler dog was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and quickly succumbed to it. His struggle with cancer became an inspiration for a piece I entitled Agony of Cancer-When You Have No Say (Fig. 30). Each of us is affected by it at some point in our lives. We either know somebody who is fighting cancer, lost its battle to it or are affected by cancer ourselves. Our pets struggle with it as well. In my piece, I wanted to show the spread of cancer over one s body to the point of no return. Long cancer tentacles are grabbing the flesh and spreading. The mouth is covered, and its contours are erased. A being, trapped in its physical body, has no say anymore. No hope left, but life is still going on while its last minutes are counted. Realizing that the battle is lost, a human or an animal faces a multitude of complex emotions: fears of the unknown, desperation, anger, sadness and, oftentimes, pain. This body piece is made out of multiple parts held together by cancer cells. The entire piece is made out of copper and cells are sand-casted. 45

62 PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES Figure 31: Nataliya Laux, Pushing the Boundaries, 2016, copper, electroformed fox head, deer antler, fox fur, fabric, 19 H x 17 D x 22 W. This headdress is about the boundaries between human consumption of animals and animal rights (Fig. 31). As long as mankind has existed, it has depended on animals as a source of food and materials for shelter and clothing. Nowadays, humans use animals not only for their survival, but also for the production of luxury goods. Animal rights activists are raising ethical questions about commercial animal farming and inhumane practices by big corporations and individuals. I think laws should be better designed to establish clear boundaries between human and animal relationships. Such laws should also be universal. 46

63 The fox fur in this piece is recycled from the hat that I had back in the Soviet days. It was quite a luxury item to have during the cold Ukrainian winter. Even though I would not wear a fur hat like this anymore, many would argue that it is a necessity. 47

64 THE QUEEN OF NUTS Figure 32: Nataliya Laux, The Queen of Nuts, 2015, copper, walnuts, fabric, nuts cast in bronze, powder coated, 18 H x 16 W x 8 D. Photo by Noah Wright. While I was researching the history of crowns and tiaras, I noticed that many of them incorporate a variety of animal and flower designs, such as wheat, acorns, roses, daisies, etc. I decided that my next headdress should be humorous and it should hint at how people should take themselves less seriously at times. Since I had not seen any nuts in crowns, I decided that mine would have them. The design of The Queen of Nuts is mimicked after the medieval Northern European headdresses, which were the most extravagant and wacky (Fig. 32). This headdress is made in the shape of two halves of a walnut facing each other with a swinging nut in the middle. Along with the casted nuts, I 48

65 wanted to add some real ones as well, so I ordered walnuts from California. When 10 pounds of walnuts arrived, I noticed to my surprise many little worms peeking out all over the box. I contacted the seller and he told me that his walnuts were organic but he would send me another 10-pound box. In the end, I ended up with 20 pounds of walnuts, way more than I ever needed. In the end, this crown became quite nutty. 49

66 VEILED EMOTIONS Figure 33: Nataliya Laux, Veiled Emotions, 2017, aluminum, copper, powder coated, fabric, 73 H x 21 W x 23 D (side and front views). Photo by Noah Wright and Doug Laux. 50

67 While I was working on mastering an anticlastic forming technique on large aluminum strips, they began to resemble airy and unruly emotions that unexpectedly escape from one s controlled consciousness. This inspired me to make a headdress about suppressed emotions. I called it Veiled Emotions (Fig. 33). While making this piece I wondered how often each of us hides our true thoughts and emotions to conform to our social environments, such as work place, school, home or community? How comfortable does one become wearing a veil? 51

68 REFLECTIONS ON LIFE Figure 34: Nataliya Laux, Reflections on Life, 2017, hornet nest, brass wire, brass, aluminum, acrylic, fabric, lace, beads, foil, thread, 30 H x 44 W x 22 D. Photo by Noah Wright. A hornet nest that I found became an inspiration for this piece (Fig. 34). It is a large and beautiful nest with three layers built on top of each other. The creatures that populate it, though, are usually not looked friendly upon. When I saw this lovely and yet repulsive thing, it reminded me of life in general. People can be like hornets when trying to survive in society. I decided to incorporate the nest into a headpiece that would look like a beautiful flower that draws one s attention. The nest is placed in the middle of the flower. One petal holds a mirror in front of the wearer s face. I believe it is very important to reflect on oneself while trying to compete and survive in human society. If one is not introspective, unattractive behaviors may become the norm, and ethical standards may diminish. When looking into the mirror, one might be surprised to see a hornet staring back. 52

69 PIECE BY PIECE Figure 35: Nataliya Laux, Piece by Piece, 2017, brass wire, ceramics, fabric, 32 H x 10 W x 9 D. Photo by Katie White. When I think about one s search for self-identity, I imagine it as putting pieces of a puzzle together. My Piece by Piece headdress is about self-discovery (Fig. 35). A person is partially covered with clusters of ceramic puzzle pieces over her body. They are held together by a wire structure. As one grows older, the puzzle becomes more complete. 53

70 CHAPTER III INSPIRATIONS AND INFLUENCES I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best. Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo, : Pain and Passion I draw my inspirations from anything and everything. I am inspired by people who are independent, genuine and open-minded. I admire works of the fashion icon Alexander McQueen (Fig. 36). I find his art to be romantic, honest, original and dark at the same time. He elevated fashion to an art platform for social issues. His shows were outrageous, unique and very honest. A few works of mine have been inspired by his genius. Two examples are Pushing the Boundaries and Agony of Cancer-When You Have No Say. 54

71 Figure 36: Art of Alexander McQueen. accessed February 22, I love haute couture fashion for its originality and high level of craftsmanship. A few other fashion designers had influenced my work. Among them are Georges Hobeika and Zuhair Murad. I enjoy their sense of taste and feminine designs (Fig. 37 and 38). As someone who likes beading, I find the beadwork in their dresses to be quite incredible. Combinations of fabric colors and bead patterns are truly superb. My Reflections on Life and Veiled Emotions headdresses were inspired by their work. 55

72 Figure 37: Georges Hobeika s dresses Accessed March 14, 2017 Figure 38: Zuhair Murad 2017 collection. Accessed March 14,

73 Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican painter, is another favorite artist of mine. I enjoy her ability to express autobiographical stories in her paintings (Fig. 39). I am drawn to her openness and raw honesty about a variety of socio-political issues that she was so brave to discuss during her time. My Between Two Fires piece was inspired by Frida s writings about her conflicting views on immigration and her Mexican identity in her memoirs. Figure 39: Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait on the Border Between Mexico and the United States, 1932, oil on sheet metal, 12 ¼ x 13 ¾, private collection, accessed on February 22,

74 CHAPTER IV MATERIALS AND PROCESSES A copy of Rundell and Bridge s account of resetting of the Imperial Crown of Queen Victoria as of 1858: Original Jewels 1 very large uncut ruby carats 1 large full spread sapphire. 104! carats! 15 large sapphires.. 166! carats! 11 emeralds 55!!! carats!!! 4 rubies 6! carats! 1,312 brilliants (various sizes) 265!!! carats!!!" 928 roses.. 256! carats! 159 table diamonds.. 50!!! carats!!!" 3 drop-shaped pearls 71! carats! Furnished by R. and B. 1 pearl drop 32 pearls 373 carats 1 sapphire. 5! carats! 53 brilliants (table cut)... 23!! carats!! 19 brilliants 2! carats! 300 roses.. 20!! carats!!!!! 13 roses.. carats!!!" A History of the Crown Jewels of Europe (Fig. 40) Figure 40: Imperial State Crown of Queen Elizabeth II made in 1953, a close replica of Queen Victoria s crown of 1838, which was refurbished with stones and pearls from the latter crown, in A History of the Crown Jewels of Europe, by Baron Edward Francis Twining, (London: B. T. Batsford Ltd, 1960),

75 During my graduate work I focused on making large pieces using a variety of both metal and non-metal materials. I have incorporated fabrics, plastics, found objects, beads, and animal parts, just to name a few. Sometimes, these materials served as an inspiration for my next piece. For example, a large bumblebee that I found was an inspiration behind my To Bee or Not to Bee headdress. This was also the case with my Delusional Nostalgia or Time to Shed the Past crown. I stumbled upon music cassette tapes from my youth, and they inspired me to make a crown about the Soviet Union and modern Ukraine. As a finishing touch, the snakeskin that I found became an invaluable part of that piece. Other times, I selected my materials based on the concept I already had in mind (Fig. 41). Figure 41: Handling 20+ pounds of nuts for The Queen of Nuts. Throughout my graduate work, I experimented with different metalworking processes. A few examples are illustrated below (Fig ). 59

76 Figure 42: Making watermarked paper for Beauty Lies Within. Figure 43: Making a wax model for casting The Queen of Nuts. 60

77 Figure 44: Sand-casting cancer cells for Agony of Cancer-When You Have No Say. Figure 45: Making a clay model of a fox head from picture reference for Pushing the Boundaries. 61

78 Figure 46: Making Alginate mold for Pushing the Boundaries. Figure 47: Making wax model for Pushing the Boundaries. 62

79 Figure 48: Preparing for electroforming for Pushing the Boundaries. Figure 49: Electroformed and very shiny fox head for Pushing the Boundaries. 63

80 Figure 50: Sandblasted (top) and patinated (bottom) for Pushing the Boundaries. 64

81 CHAPTER V THE SHOW [In this collection] the idea was to turn people s faces on themselves. I wanted to turn it around and make them think, am I actually as good as what I m looking at? Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty My MFA show was set as a runway show in a large gallery. Models dressed in white and black outfits wore the headpieces. I envisioned that my headdresses would become alive and personal only when worn by a live model. Indeed, the human touch activated some of their features, such as the flotation of fabrics in the air and movement of parts. While worn by the models, my headdresses were displayed in their natural state and elicited intended thoughts and emotions (Fig ). Figure 51: MFA show by Nataliya Laux. Photo by Noah Wright. 65

82 Figure 52: MFA show by Nataliya Laux. Photos by Noah Wright and Doug Laux. 66

83 Figure 53: MFA show by Nataliya Laux. Photos by Noah Wright and Doug Laux. 67