The Way They See It

Salons started in Europe in the 1800s as one of the only opportunities for society women to come together to discuss culture, politics, literature, art, and whatever else struck their fancy. These events, usually conducted in the home, allowed women to lead the conversation in a time period when most were voiceless. These leaders opened the doors to a new Europe; artists flocked to their salons in hope of having their work appreciated and discussed by women of stature. FM/AM pays homage to the Artist Salon tradition.

Inspiration for our salon was also strongly drawn from the Vogue Italia January 2020 issue, which replaced the usual glossy spreads with fashion illustrations for the first time since the publication introduced photography to its pages. The ultimate goal of this bold move was to highlight sustainability issues within print media and take a stance against it. The exclusion of live photoshoots eliminated waste mulitple areas, including transportation, food waste, plastic waste, and electricity. The use of illustrations allowed Vogue to take the money they saved and donate to charity. When the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated all face to face events, our salon was moved to a digital format. Artists were still able to creatively interpret some of the clothing created by the designers, but from the safety of their homes. In a truly modern twist on the classic European salon, this virtual salon gave us a unique way to explore an age old tradition. The artwork that follows was created by students from all over, who came together during this time of crisis to create something beautiful.