M A T A R I K I
STELLAR DEITY
CREATIVE DIRECTION | @marine_arnoul BRAND | @martian.argency PHOTOGRAPHER | @paulclichyphotography SET DESIGNER | @laurinelkante MODEL | @marine_arnoul MAKE UP ARTIST | @tiffanyd.mua HAIR STYLIST | @mhairstylist_ ASSISTANT STYLIST | @style.fanny ON-SET DRESSER | @tespasnet_baptiste SET DESIGNER ASSISTANT | @morganndespoulains
MASK EXHIBITION
"THE AHO TAPU HOU : The Sacred Thread"
MATARIKI | Stellar Deity
On the 7th of august, Martian Agency revealed their new creation for the exhibition “Te Aho Tapu Hou : The Sacred Thread” at the Waikato Museum, in Hamilton, New-Zealand.
This large-scale exhibition showcases distinctive garments designed by Jeanine Clarkin (Ngaati Hako, Ngaati Paaoa, Ngaati Ranginui, Ngaati Raukawa), representative of her earlier influences, major events, and current fashion collections.
Realising her childhood dream to be a fashion designer, Clarkin’s creativity over the decades has resulted in her international status within the indigenous fashion community. Her extended network of artists, performers and collaborators inhabit her garments and help bring to life the inspiring journey of a designer committed to celebrating her Maaori identity.
From founding her first streetwear label in 1994 to dressing celebrities (such as Keisha Castle-Hughes and Cliff Curtis) for the red carpet, Clarkin’s Maaori identity has been a common thread establishing her as a fashion activist.
Martian Agency created a mask, called “MATARIKI “, a stellar deity, following the story of our Hesperian Gods' collection. MATARIKI represents the name of the Pleiades star cluster and the celebration of its first rising, launching the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar.
Martian Agency started with a hand sculpted mask, made by Martian Agency’s founder, Marine Arnoul. This mask was 3D scanned by Victor Arnoul with the “Space Slider” Scanner by Artec 3D, then mirrored and remodelled by James Whittall within ZBrush. The mask was printed in resin, assembled, then painted by James in a glossy white. The mask is displayed on a printed black torso.
A filter of the mask, created by Charlie Delahousse is available on the agency's instagram.
A MASKED REPONSE, words by The Waikato Museum
Marine Arnoul, Martian Agency, Paris France
3D printed resin head piece and bust, 2021
Martian Agency, is a multidisciplinary fashion and costume design agency based in Paris, France. They have a pronounced futuristic and avant-garde approach. The agency’s creator and Director, Marine Arnoul argues that fashion and costume are complementary, that they emerge from an association of the body and the environment in which it evolves.
Drawing inspirations from organic, structured, hybrid and high-tech subjects; Martian Agency shapes its own vision of the world and explores its entrenchments in order to change mentalities.
Through Jeanine’s profile in Paris and the French embassy here, she was invited to hear Marine speak when she came to New Zealand for WOW the World of Wearable Art 2019 show. Seeing many connections in their thinking, and an interest in what new technologies offer, they reconnected in Paris and have stayed in touch since.
The Mask is a response to Jeanine’s invitation and korero regarding the inability for Maaori to greet appropriately, while masked due to Covid-19.
The shapes were sculpted by hand with a thermoplastic, then scanned in 3D, modelled and enhanced and finally 3D printed in resin, before being assembled and painted by hand.
You can see this creation exhibited at the Waikato Museum, in Hamilton, New-Zealand,
from august 7th 2021 to the 14th of January 2022.
