goujirou stands at the intersection of critical thinking in fashion, art, and culture. Having earned his Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Technology, he navigates the creative landscape with a keen eye for both analysis and expression. goujirou’s journey embodies a relentless pursuit of artistic evolution. Join us as we delve into the depths of his interdisciplinary practice, exploring the myriad influences and aspirations that shape his creative vision.
hube: In your interdisciplinary approach, how do you balance critical thinking with creative expression in your artistic projects
goujirou: Critical thinking goes hand in hand with creative expression since it lays the foundation for innovative ideas. Finding the delicate balance between analysing concepts critically while still allowing some freedom for exploration. I try to stay open-minded and curious and constantly question conventions to ensure my work maintains both depth and innovation.
h: What was the most difficult piece to work on? What was the most exciting part about it?
g: Frankly, I would love to tell you more about my graduation project but the problem is that it is still in development and unfinished, so I would rather talk about a project I did in the first semester. The aim of the project was to learn about the concept of ‘’volume’. It was going for a timespan of a month during Coronavirus. At first, I tried to do a huge origami dress but the folding drove me crazy… After 2-3 weeks it was time to switch up the material. Luckily, my university has a small storage of sponsored materials and there was this one material which caught my attention: green sponge on one side and black felt on the other. Somehow, I felt a connection to the green sponge but hated the black side. So without any concept, I started cutting the textile into long strings — because I thought I could work better with many decent-sized rectangles.
Because of the virus, we had a short time slot to enter the university and needed to work at home most of the time. So back home, I tried to layer the rectangles around the body, trying to generate volume. After some time, I was convinced it was nearly finished and brought it back to the university since 2 days were left until the final presentation. The last day was actually reserved for the finishing but when I arrived there, I was in shock. The piece was laying on the floor and was ‘completely f*cked’. I totally forgot about the concept of gravity and balance as a freshman in his first semester — it was way too heavy to hold on to the body. This moment was remarkable for my future studies. This was the first time I was highly pressured and devastated because I needed to start from the beginning. My body switched to autopilot and I was just in the flow and everything that happened afterwards was only because of my intuition. So in less than 24 hours, I created one of my favourite silhouettes ever and by looking back to it, I am quite happy about that incident.
h: how did your participation in the Fashion Frontier Program 2023 and the ISPO Masterclass 2023 contribute to your artistic development, and what key insights did you gain from these experiences?
g: I am so grateful about joining those competitions/programmes. There were many valuable inputs and lectures but the most important point for me was to connect with the other participants. Being chosen besides all those highly talented people with diverse backgrounds spread all over the world is an honour and privilege. Since we all are chasing the same dream to make the world a better place, we inspire each other and grow together. Seeing different perspectives is so important in today’s time, especially if you are still a student and only get feedback from the same people over and over. Even now, I am still in contact with many of them and friendships grew out of this. We keep supporting each other.
h: how do you navigate and draw inspiration from the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of the fashion industry in your work?
g: I think for all of us who are working in any creative field, inspiration comes from any situation anywhere. Your brain is just constantly working and many things just come unconsciously. Besides that, I love researching! If I find something interesting, I just immerse myself in the topic fully. I go through the net and Instagram but the most interesting things I find are in books, magazines, films, and other media like exhibitions, for example. Right now, I am doing most of my research for my graduation project at the Valie Export Center in Linz and there, I can tell you, are so many great books and experimental films. This last week, I was going through the archive and I found a book about pioneers in the field of experimental film in Japan from the 60s. You can only find written information about the content and probably not on the Internet when it’s not Western. So inspiration is not based on the zeitgeist or on current topics but rather on what truly sparks something in you that you will transfer to the contemporary either way.
h: As the Brand Ambassador for ASICS, how do you integrate your artistic vision into your role, and how does it influence the brand’s identity?
g: So first things first, I was working for ASICS for a year but I am on a break now because of my graduation. My tasks were less creative but rather about sales and marketing strategies. Collecting data about products and customers in general, designing showrooms and managing logistics. Since I have a strong interest in Japan and adore Kiko’s work, I might go back to them to work on the Novalis brand or the shoe collaborations in Kobe.
h: What challenges have you encountered as an artist in your field, and how have you overcome them to continue evolving and pushing boundaries in your practice?
g: This question is complex and also so omnipresent… There are so many of them, to be honest. As an independent artist/designer, you need to constantly push yourself to be productive and besides all the challenges in the field of fashion and art in terms of industry and marketing, your work needs to tell a story which should be personal, relevant, sustainable and also attractive for investors, customers, etc.
Besides all that, the biggest challenge for me personally is actually to face myself. Taking care of my mental health in this industry and also the fact that I am never satisfied since it needs to be ‘perfect’. The constant fear of not disappointing myself, since those concepts make perfect sense in my head but realising them is a different thing — especially in fashion where the object interacts with the human body. Therefore, most of my projects are happening in the last few days when I am under immense stress because then I just need to deliver, accept some things and just let it go. It is still a thing I need to work on.
h: Could you elaborate on your role as an editorial writer for MOUBSENDOTCOM and how your writing intersects with your artistic practice?
g: I should briefly explain what MOUBSENDOTCOM is. We are a German independent youth culture magazine which reports about independent brands, musicians, artists and other people in the intersection of culture. Founded by my friend Moubarak, who is doing a lot in the local scene in Munich. Since I have an interest in so many different areas and things, I started writing for myself. To express oneself while also explaining certain topics to other people intrigued me. We have a strong creative scene in Germany but it is overlooked or not supported as much as we wish for. By giving them a platform, meeting new people is always exciting, innit? A magazine is a perfect medium to have this intersection of culture, art, fashion, music, etc. and it helps me to disconnect from my personal work sometimes.
Nevertheless, it is still pretty new and small and I did not have time to make content for it yet but it is in the works for the next few weeks and months!
h: How do you believe art can be a powerful tool for initiating conversations and raising awareness about pressing social issues?
g: As Keith Haring once said: ‘Art is for everybody.’ It is a way to start a dialogue. Some people might think you cannot have an impact with your artwork because most people will not understand it but in my opinion, it is already making an impact by passing the barrier visually or acoustically. The viewer senses something and interprets those things into anything. It can be related to oneself or even a critique but as long as they interact with it, it makes a change in my opinion. Furthermore, as an artist, you have the complete freedom to make whatever you want, so you should push every border you face. I still have a weird feeling about certain art being ‘Instagramable’ and producing things just for visual satisfaction but it makes art less exclusive and elusive, so it is not only a bad thing. Even though my aspiration is to make art for myself. And if it resonates with others, I am happy about it.
h: Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals as an artist, and how do you envision your impact on the creative and cultural landscape in the future?
g: I would love to keep working with unconventional materials in the context of creating something which involves the human body. Bringing materials from other industries to see their full potential and give them a stronger value in the process. Developing a collection, for example, often starts from a theme or idea which later is embodied in silhouettes and sketches. My artistic practice is led by the material whose intrinsic qualities dominate the narrative. The human, rather than being a central focus, becomes a canvas integrated into the broader composition. The hierarchical structure inherent in fashion, where the wearer traditionally holds primary importance, gives way to an exploration of raw materials, textures, and forms. Surrendering control to the autonomous nature allows us to guide the trajectory of the creative process. This perspective challenges established norms by highlighting the expressive potential of materials while relegating the human form to a secondary, almost incidental role. This shift prompts a reconsideration of the conventional understanding of fashion and pushing boundaries of artistic expression. By mainly using ‘waste’, I try to tackle the environmental impact in fashion but also in other industries, since finding a solution for a global problem is only achievable in a collaborative way. So with my interdisciplinary artistic practice, I try to push the meaning of fashion as an art form and highlight the need to work together with other industries and communities.
h: Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?
g: This is a tricky question since I draw inspiration from so many people in their respective fields — ranging from designers, artists, and hairstylists to filmmakers, photographers, and chefs. To name a few: Lim Dongjoon from PAF, Jakob Hetzer, A1jewel, Louisa Meng, Aenrmous, Jun Miyazaki, Kiko Kostadinov, Rei Kawakubo… The list could go on forever.
Images courtesy of the artist
