Shae Bishop disrupts denim tradition with floral ceramic garments — Colossal

Ceramics and textiles share several traditions. Both mediums have long occupied the realm of craftsmanship, are often utilitarian, and are often associated with narrative and storytelling, whether sharing family lore or conveying information about their owners.

For Shae Bishop, combining the two provides a way to connect the enduring and universal with the intimate and personal. The Richmond-based artist has spent more than a decade creating countless tiles and sewing them into bandanas, suits and other garments. “By fusing these materials and adapting them to my body, I attempt to fuse the personal and the historical, to situate myself and my personal narrative within the larger story of human culture,” he told The Giant.

Over the past 14 years, Bishop’s clothing has evolved in complexity and ornamentation as he leans into art historical narratives and self-mythologizing associated with cowboy culture. Works like the Vest of Earthly Joys reference Hieronymus Bosch’s famous triptych and its alternative reality. Bishop, who has long been interested in man’s relationship with nature, used Bosch’s biblical retellings as a way to “reimagine our fraught interactions with strange and misunderstood creatures like giant salamanders and venomous snakes,” adorning a vest with a pair of white snakes and bright flowers.

A scroll through Bishop’s Instagram reveals his deep respect for snakes—there are several photos of the artist with the reptiles hanging from his neck and arms—and an interest in reimagining the fear and hostility associated with these creatures, which he hopes to present as “heroes, icons, and ecological ambassadors.”

This intention is reflected in part through more performative pieces, such as the turquoise, fringed-lined “Rhinestone Rattlesnake Boys Suit.” Bishop often stood in a booth in elaborate costumes and handled a snake, a performance reminiscent of such entertainments as Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and The Roy Rogers Show.

The artist also frequently photographs himself in the wild, whether knee-deep in swamps or on horseback. These immersive images add another layer to the performance of the project and enhance the world-building and storytelling capabilities that fashion possesses.

Of course, cowboys and Western culture are deeply intertwined with American identity and masculinity, and Bishop reflected on these influences when creating floral chaps and fringed hats. He added:

I love the tension between practicality and conservatism on the one hand, and maverick flamboyance on the other. The colorful floral costumes from country music history as well as the high heels and ornate leather goods of cowboy boots are such unique cultural expressions. I also focus on some of the darker elements, like toxic masculinity and a love of fossil fuels. I also threw myself into this work. I try to be self-critical and examine my love-hate relationship with these cowboy tropes while still maintaining a sense of humor.

“Rhinestone Rattlesnake Boy Suit” will be on display next September in an exhibition dedicated to the State Fair in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Bishop will exhibit work this winter at the Berg Center for the Arts in Kansas City and the Center for Contemporary Craft in Houston, and he is currently working on a series of ceramic diving helmets and leather shoes. Find more information on his website.