This month, to coincide with Art In Mayfair, we are celebrating the power of female creativity, with a women-led design window display. Huntsman has collaborated with the artist Yuliya Martynova, exhibiting her work in the window at 11 Savile Row, which is complemented by a piece from our bespoke womenswear collection.
The work on display is called Blossom | Joy, and uses hundreds of tiny brushstrokes of oil paint and watercolour applied repeatedly on a large-scale canvas. It's a time and labour-intensive process that captivates the viewer and encourages personal reflections with the illusions of motion. The painting speaks to the cycle of flora, seemingly short-lived in the moment but returning each year with rigour and strength.
So much of Yuliya's work, both in her process and the finished artwork can draw parallels to the tailoring process: The considerable amount of time, meticulous attention to detail and patience it takes to produce a finished piece is not dissimilar to that of making a bespoke garment, as is the relationship she develops with her canvas, skillfully translating individual two-dimensional lines into a finished composition that has depth, movement and fluidity. This is also reminiscent of how from a set of measurements, a two-dimensional paper pattern becomes a three-dimensional garment. Although the finished product might look completely organic, every brushstroke, as with every stitch is considered, intentional and necessary.
At Huntsman, we often speak about the transformative power of bespoke tailoring; Yuliya's work is also created to evoke a reaction from the spectator, the magic occurs when each element is taken from abstraction and realised as a complete entity. Again, we can draw parallels at the point at which each seam and each stitch finally reaches our client with the same transformative power.
Most importantly Yuliya's process means that every piece she produces is truly unique and ‘bespoke’. Though it can be mimicked, the original can never be exactly replicated, which also speaks true of bespoke tailoring- No two garments are ever exactly alike.
This colourful, joyful composition provides a perfect backdrop for our ladies' double-breasted evening jacket and trousers, which demonstrates a very different kind of artistry, yet to the same effect. On display in the window is an exquisite double-breasted trouser suit in black barathea, with generous silk lapels.
About Yuliya Martynova
Yuliya Martynova is a contemporary artist who grew up between the leafy hills and lakes of northern Kazakhstan and the industrial town on the Caspian coast where she was born. Today, she lives and works in the UK.
Working in a range of media, Yuliya's artistic practice is deeply personal and can be interpreted as an internal journey and escape from reality. Her work aims to lift the weight of existence and find a thread that pulls you forward, encouraging personal evolution and a change in attitude towards life's challenges. Inspiration comes from within, and the final outcome of her artwork is often uncertain; deciding where to draw the last line is existential for each piece Yuliya considers finished.
Primarily working with drawing, oil painting, and watercolour on paper and canvas, her creative process starts when she locks herself in the studio, gradually finding a way to the outer places within. Using the natural environment to depict emotional states and human behaviours is a recurring theme: past works have explored ideas of fragility and strength through skyscapes, isolation through depictions of the sea, urban crowd dynamics through geometric abstractions and most recently, the cyclical nature of florals, which the currently exhibited work at Huntsman is part of.
About Artiq
This collaboration was made possible by Artiq. Artiq is an international art agency creating impact with culture. By bringing relevant contemporary art into the commercial world, their team generates tangible returns for brands and regular income for artists.
Creating impact with projects of all kinds, from curated collections and commissioned artworks for workplaces, hospitality brands, and universities to site-specific events and installations for public spaces, Artiq achieves transformative change for their clients while ensuring not just exposure but fair financial rewards every time they showcase artists' work.
In the last three years alone, Artiq has paid more than £5 million to artists and completed projects in over 20 countries.