Ian Berry’s denim art, a unique mixture of fashion and art, is well recognized around the world, attracting commissions from A-list celebrities like Debbie Harry, Jennifer Saunders, Giorgio Armani, Lapo Elkann, and Brazilian model Giselle, to name a few.
Made of layers and layers of denim jeans, his pieces might look at first like blue-toned photographs or indigo-colored oil paintings, depicting melancholic urban scenes. Only when seen up close, the depth and texture of each piece are fully comprehended.
But funnily enough, his unique style of art-making was the result of chance (or was it fate?). Noticing a pile of old jeans and the contrasting shades of blue, Berry took a pair of scissors and glue and began experimenting. “At first it was just the simple observation, seeing the old jeans I used to wear piled up at my childhood home,” he recalled in an interview with Carved in Blue.
“I decided to use the contrasting shades to make some simple artworks, but then while using it, it made me think of my own connection to denim. It was the only material I felt comfortable in and I transferred that to my work.”
After sharing his work online, he noticed other people’s reactions to his unique use of denim. “I am fully aware of the dualities of denim,” notes Berry, adding that it saddens him to see the price of pollution. “From an art point of view as well as denim, I really am interested in the combination between the laser machines and laundry techniques,” he adds.
Scroll down to see some of his thought-provoking pieces.
