Check out my recent solo textile exhibition “Exoskeleton”

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Let Me Peacock For You
(aka. The Peacock Dress)
Featured in "Heavenly Bodies, Divine Minds", Queer Arts Featured, San Francisco, CA, 2024

This garment consists of 3 parts and took about 150~ hours to complete over the course of 3 months. The garment consists of the following materials: Mixed polyester and linen fabrics, synthetic lace, glass, acrylic, and stone beads, freshwater pearls, mixed feathers, embroidery floss, leather, and maybe a little too much e6000.

Read more about how this garment was made here!

The Peacock Dress was created with the ideas of “Heavenly Bodies, Divine Minds”. I wanted to pursue a more aesthetically forward garment this time. My idea behind this work was to emulate courtly garb that transcends gender. I wanted something beautiful and strong; asking myself what I would want for my courtly garb? What would a fae king wear as they ruled over the garden? Maybe it would look something like this. I took masculine inspiration from the iconic peacock and bejeweled creatures of the insect kingdom. I tried to embody pure beauty and power, the beauty of transness and gender deviance, to create something empowering for someone like myself. I wanted to elevate the trans body to something regal and divine. 

There's some beautiful irony shooting this dress in the city vs. it’s intended location, the wilderness. I think it addresses the fish out of water feeling some of us queer folk get. I’m like a lost ruler of a kingdom incomprehensible to those who look on to me in confusion.

Photo Credit to Morgan Cunningham

Plague

“Plague” Mixed Media Textile (Japanese Woven Wool, Assorted Glass Beads, Muslin, Polyester Thread), 14”x34”~, 2021-2024, Z. Fondanarosa

Cicada

bury me in a shallow grave
in a season ill crawl out
like a cicada
and in a season ill be reborn
new wings
new things

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

Night Light

“Night Light,” Embroidery Floss and Glass Beads on Hand Dyed Muslin, 22” x 17”, 2023-2024, Z. Fondanarosa

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

This embroidery took me one full year to complete (begging early January 2023 and fishing end of January 2024) and is a reaction of the wallpaper pattern in my bedroom from my childhood home in New Jersey. I believe this pattern is from sometime in the 1950-70s. I tried to complete one full section of the pattern repeat. I looked at this wallpaper so much it’s burned into my memory. This project was a huge time investment and I have a lot of emotions about finally finishing.

I wish I could peel this deranged paper from the walls and wrap it around myself like a cocoon and emerge as something new. But that’s not how thing work... so I pricked my hands into oblivion until I scared a tapestry with every color, curve, and line I could remember. I can see eyes in here…. I wonder if you can too?

It was made intently to fluoresce under UV black light. The fabric was hand dyed using a combination of pomegranate skin and turmeric (which is known to glow in UV light). I used a combination of neon and plane embroidery thread so not all of it glows and it is almost a surprise what dose and dose not stand out in the light. Between the empty spaces are florescent glass beads that look quite unassuming when left unlit. All of it is finished with glow in the dark thread. It is meant to be viewed in both lighting conditions.

I made this glow to mimic the way the wallpaper would swirl and morph in the dark at night when I would stare at it under the glow of moon light, the flow of my lava lamp, or the way it would dance under the color changing reading lamp I was so so fond of. I can still smell it. I can still see all the places where I wrote in pencil about people I crushed on in school.

Ecstasy of a Monstrous Death

What to do with a blood thirsty beast? Off with his head! Or something like that...

"Ecstasy of a Monstrous Death," Mixed Media Fiber Arts, 2024, Z. Fondanarosa

The neck ruff used to create these images has been one of my fastest creations to date, only taking a week from fabric to photo ready.

It was created using simple white muslin, synthetic blood, and, by the gods, a LOT of hand stitched glass beads. It was a more elaborate take on my neck piece from the famous "Guillotine Dress".

The Weight of Sentimental Greed
aka. The Collage Dress
Featured in Kaleidoscope, The Academy SF, San Francisco, CA, 2023  ​

“The Weight of Sentimental Greed” was made using a combination of multiple ideas and techniques to challenge the concepts of collage. I used a combination of new synthetic textiles mixed with a patchwork of fabric that was reclaimed from old clothing I no longer needed. The clothing was a combination of garments I’ve acquired from thrifting for my personal wardrobe, hammy-downs from my mother, brother, father, and lover… all things I had a hard time bringing myself to throw away despite them no longer serving me.
We often discard our textiles these days with out a second thought. The clothing covering our bodies absorbs memories, traumas, love, time, it’s all so extremely personal and intimate.  It pains me so many people are so quick to shed these memories from their lives. I gave these garments a new life as something fresh.
Thought patchwork and a mix of couture sewing and costume magic I’ve created an otherworldly garment fit for a fairy dumpster diving in the modern world. The forms are meant to both be sharp and organic, old and new, glamor and ‘garbage’. The garment is fully embellished with reclaimed vintage glass beads, hand stitched on one by one in an effort for me to take the time needed to part with the fries tied into the fibers that have been transformed.

To see more about how this garment was made and images form the opening click here!

Also Featured In:
Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

Photography by Morgan Cunningham and Edited by Z. Fondanarosa

Nymph

“Nymph” Glass Heads and Muslin on Reclaimed Rayon Shirt, Approximately 2’6”x2’6”, 2024

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

Oh to Build a Chain-link Fence Around Your Heart

(Struck by Lighting)

“Oh to Build a Chain-link Fence Around Your Heart (Struck by Lighting)” Glass Beads and Muslin on Reclaimed Silk Sleep Shirt, Approximately 2’x2’, 2023, Z. Fondanarosa

Heavy glass weighing on the silk. Weighing like thoughts on the mind. Veins and lighting are one and the same. We are made from electricity.

I had this idea for months and planned out exactly how I wanted to do it before I started which streamlined the process. Work time was 5-10 hours over 1 week.

 I stitched muslin inside to stabilize the garment so the silk wouldn't shred from the weight of glass beads. I also used it as a way to sketch the outline of where I wanted to put the veins. After that it was down to just stitching each glass bead on one by one individually.

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

The Guillotine Dress

New images of the Guillotine Dress
form drag appearance at the opening of
"Kaleidoscope" at The Academy SF,
San Francisco, CA, 2023

Photo by Jackson Karlenzig

The Guillotine Dress

From the show "Let Them Eat Fake" at Liminal Space Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2022

 
“The Guillotine Dress” Mixed Media (Cotton muslin, acrylic paint, glass and plastic beads, fake blood, synthetic boning, embroidery thread, synthetic lace, synthetic twill, and silk), 2022, Z. Fondanarosa

Off with their heads and let this lavish beauty belong to those who create it, you may never have immortality no matter how vast your pockets may be.
   
To see behind the scenes and extra content CLICK HERE!

Photography by Morgan Cunningham and Edited by Z. Fondanarosa

A Religious Experience

“A Religious Experience” Mixed Media (Glass Beads, Polyester Thred, Muslin, Embroidery Floss, on Pomegranate Dyed Muslin), 23”x18.5”, 2021-2023, Z. Fondanarosa

Featured in Subject, Object, Setting, The Academy SF, San Francisco, CA, 2023  ​

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

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A Modest Experience

"A Modest Experience" Mixed Media (Glass Beads, Muslin, Polyester Thread, Embroidery Floss, on Pomegranate and Traumatic Dyed Synthetic Velvet), 10"x10", 2021-2023, Z. Fondanarosa

Featured in Subject, Object, Setting, The Academy SF, San Francisco, CA, 2023  ​

Panic Blanket

“Panic Blanket” Mixed Media and Assorted Reclaimed Textiles, 3’3”x5’7”, 2021-2024

I prefer to keep this one open-ended. One day I might be comfortable enough to talk about what went into this piece that took a while for me to decide if it was finished (and I'm still not sure)

Featured in Exoskeleton: You Cannot Return to the Dirt, ATA Window Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024

Ego Death - SAIC 2020 Thesis Film

Dreamer Costume 

This costume was made for my most recent short film "Ego Death" 

The Dreamer costume was 100% hand sewn with out a machine. The body was made from my  Undertaker costume (featured in God Watching) with some significant changes. The shirt and skit are white cotton with synthetic lace, hand dyed with black ink and fake blood.  The corset was made using an altered free to use pattern, this was my first corset ever. It is hand sewn from black cotton and "soft boned" with cotton rope. The tassel earrings are made from embroidery floss, the blindfold is black cotton and elastic and the veil is just one yard of lace fabric pined to my skull. Modeling and makeup was done by me. 
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Photography was taken by Slug Yoshida  

©Z Fondanarosa 2020

Nightgown Costume

Black and white test shot from production. These were taken to test the color translated to high contrast black and white to match our film we were using. 
This costume was made for my most recent short film "Ego Death" 
The Night Gown costume was 100% hand sewn with out a machine. The costume was made from a destroyed antique night gown. I deconstructed the usable parts and reassembled it into this costume. The red parts were dyed using a mix of beet root, prickly pear and fake blood dye I made. The only parts not made from the gown was the wig, tights and ballet shoes. 

Photography was taken by Morgan Cunningham 

©Z Fondanarosa 2020

Βλέποντας τον Θεό (God Watching)

Nymph Costume

This costume was made for my most recent short film "God Watching/ βλέποντας τον Θεό" 

The Nymph costume was made from unbleached muslin and hand sewn with embroidery thread. It was dyed with homemade pomegranate die, beet juice, and grape juice. The patterns were made by and tailored to me. Horns are from a real deer, tassel earrings were made from embroidery floss. Accents include safety pins, deer tooth necklace, and a pomegranate. Modeling and makeup was done by me. 

Photography was taken by Chai Tang

2018 

Now Including bloopers and BTS!

Nymph (On set Chicago, IL)

These shots were taken in late October in front of Lake Michigan and I was so cold. These are my favorite shots and this was by far the best time filming. This would not have been possible without my two lovely friends Ray and Bobby. 

Photography was taken by Chai Tang
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2018 

Nymph (After Purification)

This is taken after I have been spit on and covered in copious amounts of red liquid (juice)  and after pomegranate has stained the fabric.

Photography was taken by Chai Tang

2018 

Undertaker Costume

The undertaker costume was made from white bleached muslin and hand sewn with embroidery thread. The accents are made from red velvet. The patterns were made by and tailored to me. Modeling and makeup was done by me. 

Photography was taken by Chai Tang
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2018 

One Of Hades's Boys

Acrylic, embroidery, beading with glass and garnet, on Denim Jacket, US Men's M, 2020-2021