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Ordinary Madness Portfolio
Collection:CSM Museum & Study Collection
Date: 1997
Designer: Andrew Groves
Medium: Mixed Media
Object number: FA.13.3.CC
DescriptionPhysical portfolio showcasing the research and development for Andrew Groves' Ordinary Madness collection and subsequent press clippings. The digitised version is also available to view at the Museum.
The collection, titled "Ordinary Madness", draws inspiration from the book of the same name by Charles Bukowski. Thematically, the collection explores mental health, pain, and the interplay between internal and external struggles. The nails represent a physical embodiment of inner turmoil and emotional pain.
This concept is partly inspired by Japanese Wara Ningyō dolls, commonly associated with the Ushi no Koku Mairi ritual, where nails are used to symbolically harm the doll and transfer emotional pain or anger onto a target. The use of nails in the garment reflects this symbolic violence, playing with the boundary between inner suffering and its external manifestation.
Other striking elements of the collection include models with hairstyles that evoke unsettling imagery: one model had a ponytail that appeared to pierce the back of her head and exit through her mouth, while another's long ponytail formed a noose around her neck, further amplifying the themes of tension and distress present in the collection.
The jacket and underwear were originally donated to Central Saint Martins (CSM) as part of an arrangement with course director Louise Wilson. In exchange for the donation, Louise agreed to waive Groves’ outstanding fees, which were estimated to be around £500.
The collection, titled "Ordinary Madness", draws inspiration from the book of the same name by Charles Bukowski. Thematically, the collection explores mental health, pain, and the interplay between internal and external struggles. The nails represent a physical embodiment of inner turmoil and emotional pain.
This concept is partly inspired by Japanese Wara Ningyō dolls, commonly associated with the Ushi no Koku Mairi ritual, where nails are used to symbolically harm the doll and transfer emotional pain or anger onto a target. The use of nails in the garment reflects this symbolic violence, playing with the boundary between inner suffering and its external manifestation.
Other striking elements of the collection include models with hairstyles that evoke unsettling imagery: one model had a ponytail that appeared to pierce the back of her head and exit through her mouth, while another's long ponytail formed a noose around her neck, further amplifying the themes of tension and distress present in the collection.
The jacket and underwear were originally donated to Central Saint Martins (CSM) as part of an arrangement with course director Louise Wilson. In exchange for the donation, Louise agreed to waive Groves’ outstanding fees, which were estimated to be around £500.
