“Musical Physiotherapy”

In today's intricate reality, music always plays a part in the rehabilitation processes we undergo, whether consciously or subconsciously. It is ever-present and profoundly influential. Music serves as a form of physiotherapy for our souls, a therapy that occurs in the physi

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cal realm but impacts our spirits as well. To me, the body and music hold equal significance; both are essential for the healing processes of the soul. Music is becoming a meeting point of hope and stability. My project aims to integrate these fragments into life through the fusion of art (music) and medicine.

In the modern world, where physical and mental challenges are hard to evade, my project transcends mere clothing collections; it embodies a symbiosis of physiotherapy and music therapy. Drawing from my experience as the uncle of a niece who, after an accident, became a young woman in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy, it became an integral part of my reality. My education at the Ukrainian Academy of Music in violin class provided me with the ability to highlight the secondary power of music as a healing and strengthening force. In my work, I am inclined to reference figures such as Wassily Kandinsky, James Gillingham, Michel Foucault, Ernest Heldan, among others.

Wassily Kandinsky, the renowned Russian artist and art theorist, was known for his abstract works often influenced by music and phonograph records. Kandinsky created abstract compositions which he termed "musical-painting compositions."

James Gillingham was a bootmaker from Chard, England. He first crafted an artificial limb due to weakness that led to losing his hand in a market accident in 1863. This hand proved successful, and Gillingham began producing leather limbs with decorative inserts for thousands of individuals, establishing a thriving business. By 1910, he had aided over 15,000 patients.

Many of them were recorded in his workshop. The Science Museum in London houses a collection of his photographs. In the medical photographs of the 19th century, Gillingham commercially offers us ways to capture fantasies. Those oscillating between the visible and the hidden astonish with a fetishistic eroticization of women with cropped companions. They reveal their prosthetics to showcase the skill of their creator.

In praise of technology itself, the possibilities of its chain, and its effect, which will impact the user, the buyer.
As Michel Foucault says: "They tend to enjoy the metaphorical poetics of technique at the expense of everyday reality, which escapes thanks to technology, and the body, experienced through technology, which must be used—to such an extent that the figure of the alienated body becomes, for them, Meir, becomes a living representation, the Personality of the posthuman being in the era of prostatism, technologies, and subjectivism, not forgetting their obstacles their potential or what awakens their reserve."

We, as a society, are faced with the possibility of changing our common perceptions of caretaking (of people with disabilities). Incorporating diverse perspectives and involving people with disabilities in cultural and creative processes can be key to creating a diverse inclusive society.

As a person who does not support war and who unfortunately has a war going on in his two native homes unfortunately face war, I realize that my young generation suffers from this, and unfortunately, on our streets, we will see more and more people with physical problems.

This project is not only a creative expression but also an exploration of the ability of art to address physical and mental limitations. The project models a question about the inclusion of people with various physical and emotional limitations in society. By using art, the project contributes to changing societal understanding and supports the idea of an inclusive society.

The project focuses on the stage of music therapy in the context of physiotherapy. It is assumed that voices, rhythms, and melodies can become effective tools for developing motor skills, coordination, and improving overall physical fitness. Special attention is paid to the emotional aspect of the healing process. Music therapy in the project is used as a tool to reduce stress, improve and activate emotions essential for the overall health of patients.

The main idea of the project is to provide people with disabilities not only with the means to cope with physical problems we encounter every day but also to enjoy a fulfilling, emotionally rich life through methods of music therapy.

My project addresses various issues faced by people with needs, and my task is to, through a creative lens, show society that there are different layers of the population in our world and that the only major brand addressing this issue is "Tommy Hilfiger" (which has a specific category for ordering on its website). However, when I went to the store in my country with my wheelchair-using niece, there was not a single option available.

The black dress, inspired by classic trousers with adapted patterns for wheelchair users, is exaggerated in scale, using classical tailoring techniques to transform it into a massive garment that creates a hunched body silhouette, made of wool. The turtleneck is made of bandage fabric, on which hand-sewn large beads are embroidered, creating a sand element under the influence of musical waves (a reference to Chladni figures), thus becoming a tactile element like therapy balls.

The second outfit is made of vinyl synthetic fabric trousers, which I reworked and placed on a Teflon base. The goal was that every time I dress my niece, I do it crookedly, and I have to adjust her clothes because they twist. Trousers based on thin Teflon allow the fabric to sit imperfectly and maintain its imperfect shape. There is a leather label on the trousers with my name and surname written in Braille font. Leather gloves with fur are a reference to James Gillingham, who created prostheses for the British military in the 1930s. Some of them used leather and fur for fastening and comfort, I exaggerate these gloves so that, like musical waves, they distort and acquire a new silhouette. The patch top is made of leather, which symbolizes an everyday item for me, a patch that anyone uses to cover their wounds for healing.

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Materials

Leather & Fur, Satin, Wool, Knitwear, Beading