Irene Saputra Invents Elaborate, Playful Outfits in Her Vibrant Embroideries

Flowers, stars, leaves, eyes, and countless patterns transform into billowing garments in Irene Saputra’s vibrant embroideries. The South Jakarta-based artist, who also goes by Nengiren, repeats the playful motif of nona kecil, which means “little woman” in Indonesian.

Saputra’s fashion-forward character might be described as a clotheshorse who dons numerous bold outfits, some of which seem to have personalities of their own. Saputra has often referred to these styles as OOTD’s, or outfits of the day, borrowing from a hashtag historically used by fashion influencers on social media.

an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of three colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Arak Arakan Sepi 2”

The faceless figure’s cropped bob and black boots are the only commonality, as always-symmetrical wide-leg trousers or dresses vary widely. Through color, scale, and repetition, Saputra’s hand-stitched characters also coordinate and complement one another. Some, like the Arak Arakan Sepi series—meaning “quiet procession” in Indonesian—are more abstract and bulbous, while others, like “Terlalu Sibuk Bergaya,” depict more realistic outfits.

Saputra draws on a background in graphic design and illustration, which she applies to her fiber compositions. Through the lens of women’s fashion and personal expression, she channels optimism and her own journey of motherhood. Find more on Instagram.

an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of a large, square grid of colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Terlalu Sibuk Bergaya”
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of four colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Koleksi Mimpi Kecil”
a detail of an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of four colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
Detail of “Koleksi Mimpi Kecil”
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of three colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Kebun Tengah Malam 1”
a detail of an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of a colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figure
Detail of “Kebun Tengah Malam 1”
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of three colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
Arak Arakan Sepi 1
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of a rectangular grid of blue, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Melankoli Biru”
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of a large grid of colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
“Musim Menyapa Kembali”
an embroidered artwork by Irene Saputra of three colorful, patterned, symmetrical, abstractly shaped figures
Arak Arakan Sepi 3

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Irene Saputra Invents Elaborate, Playful Outfits in Her Vibrant Embroideries appeared first on Colossal.

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