Lying at the boundaries between design, art and activism, SURPLUS is a new Polish art project breaking down the world of fast fashion.
Launching in London on Friday 1 June at Calvert 22 Foundation’s Shoreditch space, the project’s new zine — WTF IS SURPLUS — plays with portraiture and bold statement t-shirts with candid photography from Zuza Krajewska.
Each image evokes the aesthetic of the 80s and 90s: an era when slogan shirts related to genuine political gestures, says visual artist Magda Buczek. Buczek now reuses texts from previous projects and art research and prints them on recycled clothes, symbolising the excess in both fashion and art.
As well as a zine preview, the evening launch will feature a dance performance by Bożna Milan, inspired by voguing and the power of “throwing shade.”
The event will be followed by a pop-up shop in the Calvert 22 Space on 2 June, featuring limited-edition ready-to-wear fashion and prints by SURPLUS and multimedia installations by Lukasz Jasiukowicz.
The project is organised by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute operating under the Culture.pl brand and is part of its programme promoting Polish design worldwide.
Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, and guests are advised to book in advance to avoid missing out. For more details, or to grab your place, visit the Calvert 22 Foundation website by clicking here.