We present the first post by this week's guest lover, fashion designer Gareth Pugh
This week, we welcome a new Guest Lover. For the next five days, Gareth Pugh will be choosing his favourite things to post on the AnOther Loves Stream, beginning with Cocker by Erik Levine.
The rooster is a fitting post to mark the New Year, his cry symbolising the break of day, the arrival of a new morning. This still, taken from Levine’s 16-minute short film, has a more sinister aura, detailing the preparation, ritual and sport of cockfighting. Levine’s work often explores the perception of masculinity within society, alongside fatherhood, loneliness and the definition of power.
Cockfighting dates back to 1646 and uses gamecocks, specifically bred for the now controversial sport. Pugh first saw the film whilst it was on display at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, 2011. Here, he explains why he chose this to be his first post.
Why did you decide to love the Cocker by Erik Levine?
This film was a large part of my inspiration for my Spring Summer 2013 show. I was already looking at Flamenco, and the rituals involved in it – the preening, the circling, the violence… I was very interested that I was able to recognise these elements in something as disparate as cockfighting, and this was something that definitely intrigued me. In a way, it somehow felt very human.
What did you get for Christmas?
I’m in the process of buying my first place, so there was quite lot of homeware under the tree this Christmas.
Click here for all Gareth's AnOther Loves.
Text by Mhairi Graham
