Whose Canvas: Myra Juliarti

Myra Juliarti is best known as the brain behind a local clothing brand, Siji. Not only does she have a unique approach to  fashion, which you can see from her brand’s collections, this lady also has an artsy side which is admirable. At CushCush Gallery, she is currently sharing her ideas about the city of Denpasar through her distinctive mixed-media work.
Many know you as a fashion designer. However, here you do art. What is the background behind it?
We, the exhibitors, were asked to make two-dimensional work with a specified size. I thought that this is different from what I usely make, which is three-dimensional work with an unspecific size, so I have to expand my creativity.
How would you differ creating art from fashion designing?
Actually, this process of creating art is not much different from what I’ve been doing all this while, starting from finding inspiration, conceptualizing and designing, to creating the work.
Meaning that creating art and fashion designing have minor differences for you. What are they?
Of course, besides the final results.
Both are indeed visual works. In designing a product, our main focus is on how to make that product practical, comfortable and functional. However, for a piece of art, it’s the visual provocation that must be stronger, whereas its functionality should not always exist.
Now, tell us about your exhibited work.
I created traffic signs, using laser-cutting acrylic with vinyl stickers on aluminum. I was interested to create traffic signs as they are actually important things that you can find in every city. Unfortunately, there are still many people who are not aware of the importance of obeying these signs; some may not even understand the meanings. In the end, these traffic signs are made only to ‘beautify’ the streets. Bringing it to my work, this is the condition that I use as a medium to tell the audiences about the movements at Kumbasari Market, seen from perspectives of its chronology, character and costume sides.
Final question; does art play an important role when you design clothes?
Inspiration usually comes from things that evoke the senses, and it can be from many things, including art. After it turns out to be a product, I see that art acts as one of its selling powers. A product will be telling more when there are elements of art in it. So, yes, art does play an important role when I’m designing Siji.