Project description

Arising from the context of dancing for fun, my artwork explores the experiential beauty of releasing energy. This can be accompanied by a sense of felt liberation. I engage with both these interconnected forms of release in my practice. 

There is a playful, messy beauty to this release. I celebrate this within my work through the motif of sweat. Sweat is a visual indicator of energy expelled.

By customising second-hand garments with rhinestoned sweat formations, I capture the beauty of the sweaty release dancing brings.

Arm details of an unworn light green velour tracksuit top, and a darker green metallic halter-neck top. The velour top has light green rhinestones attached from the armpit in droplet shapes. The metallic top has silver rhinestones attached from the underarm in straight lines.
Details of rhinestoned sweat on second hand clothing
A green velour tracksuit top is at the top of a pile of unworn clothing on a black background. It has the slogan ‘sweat release’ added to the front of the top in dark blue rhinestones. The armpits are covered in rhinestones that mimic sweat patches. These patches trail into droplets as the rhinestones move down the torso of the top.
Second-hand green velour tracksuit top with added rhinestones
A range of blue, pink, purple and green clothing layered over each other. Some of the garments have rhinestones added, and glimpses of these are visible within the layers of clothing.
Clothing details featuring the customised second-hand clothing
A pile of clothing in bright and metallic shades of blue, purple and green. The pile includes a pale blue satin dress with light blue and dark blue rhinestoned droplet shapes.
Pile of clothing, including second-hand clothing I have rhinestoned
The unworn underarm area of a bright green velour tracksuit top. Small light green rhinestones are saturated at the armpit area like a sweat patch, and trail down in droplet shapes along the side-seam of the top.
Details of my rhinestone work on the second-hand velour tracksuit top
Silver rhinestones in close formations on the underarm of a top. They are in straight lines going vertically down the top.
Details of added rhinestones

Francesca Baines

Sweaty Forever!
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