Continuing the conversation started with Design Miami/ of blending different visual languages into a global discourse and a larger spectrum of reach, I had the honor of visiting the studio of Lisu Vega and attending the opening of her solo exhibition El Cuerpo de la Obra

Lisu comes from an education in fine arts and experiential graphic design, a practice that involves the manipulation of typography, color, imagery, form, texture, technology to create environments that communicate. I was caught by one of her bib/necklaces made of recycled nautical ropes, in the literal sense of the word and found out that her fashion has a greater cause. An enormous body or work that doesn’t reflect her small figure, but her limitless passion, strength and believe in her mission to use fashion for a social and political purpose, her pieces become wearable art.

ONE LOVE

The social phase is called One Love from pictures of people she took randomly in the streets of the world, she combined two faces at the time creating a non-existent identity that overcomes geographical and political borders, since the only thing that unites everybody is love.

RECYCLE

The Recycle has the intention of manipulating abandoned ropes from useless corpses infesting the oceans and landfills into a new identity, in whimsical necklaces/bib/vest. What happened: she was wearing one of those at the reception where we first met and all I wanted was to wear one.

RESISTENCIA

The political phase of her body of work is called Resistencia and it consists of her efforts of raising awareness and funds through the sales and exhibitions of her creations for the people of Venezuela, her country of origin which has been experiencing one of the worst political, economic and social crisis of all times.

WHAT NOW?

All you want to do is “do something” right?

Lisu’s motivation is a call, a mix of mission and passion, she wants to leave her children a better life and, more than anything else, she wants to lead by example. As an expat she has the advantages of using her artistic skills and her voice to bring awareness and interrupt the silence. There’s the corporeal element that calls and draws attention to the concept, always, in all of her pieces, it something that comes from within and, as such, it cannot not move to action.

What’s your call?

What do you want to do to leave to your children?