Body Object

The architecture of a silhouette

Woman wearing an oversized avant-garde dress made from transparent plastic bags
Woman wearing a voluminous transparent plastic gown in a minimalist white studio
Person wearing a voluminous transparent plastic dress or cape over dark clothing against a white background

Sydney Anmuth
Body Object, 2023
Reed, plastic garbage bags, staples, and adhesive
80 × 60 × 2 in.
Body armature

Person wearing an oversized transparent inflatable bubble suit with blue-and-white shoes visible underneath
Woman in a white sweater and dark jeans standing beneath a large translucent plastic sculptural installation.

In Body Object, I construct an expanded silhouette around the body, shaping reed into interconnected loops and covering the framework with translucent plastic. The repeated curves create a scalloped outline, while the broad, cape-like volume extends beyond the shoulders and falls toward the floor. Fine creases catch the light across a surface that reveals both the figure and the lines of its construction.

I use this relationship between structure and transparency to explore how a garment establishes a presence in space. The armature becomes part of the visible design, shaping both the surface and the volume beneath it. I treat the space between the wearer and the outer contour as an essential part of the work.