[Lady Art] Olga Titus on Creating an “Emotional Community” Around the Lady Dior Bag

Dior Lady Art

Welcome to the Dior Talks series themed around the 5th edition of Dior Lady Art and hosted by Paris-based journalist Katya Foreman. For this year’s event, ten artists and collectives from around the world have participated in a game of metamorphosis by rendering the iconic Lady Dior handbag as a unique piece of art.

Trans-culturalism, identity and spirituality are key sources of inspiration for our latest guest on the series, Olga Titus. For her reinterpretation of the iconic bag, the Swiss-Malaysian artist gathered elements that trigger emotion and explored the concept of cultural “in-betweenness.” This “third space” is one she knows well, and it serves as a conduit for cultural exchange inspired by the Indian theorist Homi K. Bhabha.

“In my artistic work I encircle a cosmos, a galaxy in which self and external perception, biographical elements and cultural identity are reflected and represented in all their facets,” says the artist, whose creative process can be likened to building a cabinet of curiosities. One case in point: a floral rug in her atelier became the basis for one of her Lady Dior bags, and also references Monsieur Dior’s love of gardens. An assortment of mini masks creates an emotional “community” around the bag.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about how Titus approached the Lady Dior, using her signature sequin works as a starting point, and how she incorporated harlequin effects and a kaleidoscope of glass beads to create craft-intensive masterpieces that showcase embroidery at its most extreme.

Discover Olga Titus’ creations :https://youtu.be/A5-knt4E1vY