MARCEL DZAMA’S ART IS A MMESSAGE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
By: Erica Commisso
HOSH’s brand ethos has always been simple: amplify voices that share clear messages about the state of the world. The creative platform was developed with Native American artists and works across disciplines to elevate the works of various global talents from all walks of life.
It’s most recent collection, a clothing line, comes in collaboration with Marcel Dzama, a Winnipeg-based artist whose work spans drawing, painting, sculpture, and film. It’s called Sin Fronteras, and the work builds on Dzama’s continuous exploration of a dystopian world that’s suffering as a result of climate tension and instability, where beauty and unease exist at once. The purpose, he says, is to share a clear message about what happens if we don’t take better care of our planet.
“The new work explores the theme of an apocalypse caused by climate change,” says Dzama, who pulled from influences that include Dada, Marcel Duchamp, and Federico García Lorca to create a collection that reflects a sense of movement that isn’t limited by borders, both conceptually and visually. The message within it is clear: Sustainability creates a utopia, and we must choose the environmentally friendly option wherever and wherever possible.
Dzama’s work allows HOSH to continue its mission of working directly with artists to translate their practices and bring them to life outside of traditional formats, all with the intention of creating space for new conversations around art. Dzama, for example, translates work that would typically be found on canvas or in watercolour onto sustainable fabrics.
While Dzama is not Native American or First Nations, his work on Sin Fronteras–which came to life in the form of a pair of t-shirts made of 100% cotton jersey and both manufactured and printed in Los Angeles using cotton that was grown, spun and knit in the USA–aligns with HOSH’s ongoing effort to bring wider attention to the artists and perspectives it was built to support. Climate change is an issue that transcends limitations, affecting the entire world as a whole, making Dzama’s messaging an important one for HOSH to amplify.
In Sin Fronteras, Dzama’s characters move through his artistic yet dystopian landscape, interacting with it as both observers and participants to form an elaborate yet approachable narrative that feels fluid, surreal, and connected to the world that presently exists around us, but offers the promise of a utopian future if we choose to halt climate change in its tracks. The result is a work that balances urgency with creativity, that conveys a message of the importance of sustainability while still celebrating the art of imagination.
Of course, it was also important to convey this message using a sustainable, earth-friendly proverbial canvas, so the use of cotton jersey that’s local to the United States and therefore has a smaller environmental footprint is key. The messaging in Sin Fronteras, courtesy of the internationally acclaimed artist, reminds us of the importance of sustainability in all aspects of our life.
Since he burst onto the scene in the 1990s, Dzama has developed a distinct visual language. Sin Fronteras comes in the form of a t-shirt with a drawn butterfly sprawling across the front, emblazoned with the words Sin Fronteras, inviting guests into the utopian, sustainable world he’s created.
The limited edition Sin Fronteras t-shirt costs $125 and is available on HOSH’s website while quantities last.