Ramona Sonin’s artistic practice encompasses a variety of media, from charcoal drawing to digital illustration , but she is first and foremost a couture designer. Working in her West Memphis studio, she conceives and sketches out one-of-a-kind gowns, then begins bringing them to life piece by piece, using fabrics and embellishments largely sourced in Los Angeles’ fashion district. The resulting garments, often requiring hundreds of hours of solitary labor, are incredible works of art, immaculately constructed gowns that conjure ideas of ethereal femininity
Eat Like a Fairy, and Dress the Part is a small-scale exhibition inspired by my interpretation of Shakespeare’s Ophelia and the quote “sweets to the sweet”. It’s a gentle interplay between innocence, fantasy and fragility drawing on the delicate qualities of tulle to create a dialogue between fashion, art and the idea of “sweetness”. At its heart the dress Ophelia sits layered in tulle in all its ethereal wonder as well as its texture capturing the tension between what is seen and what is felt. I am reimagining her story, moving beyond the tragedy to celebrate her connection to nature, the otherworldly and the power of flowers and sweets. Being surrounded by a halo of “treats” is a playful yet touching symbol of sweetness offered in remembrance. I invite you to find sweetness in ephemeral beauty and to embrace the power of the delicate to move, inspire and linger in memory.
Sweets to the sweet.
“_”
______
