outrageousHats.com: Show & Telll,Bette Midler,Germaine Greer,MarilynMonroe,Medusa,Shakti,Unveiled

Portrait of Germaine Greer (Photomontage)

The Germaine Greer Hat:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

In February 2005, Germaine Greer spoke on Shakespeare at the Mildura Wentworth Festival.

I felt compelled to make her a hat as I often do for special people who influenced my patter of thought. I read most of her books. Not expecting Germaine to wear the hat but to have it as a unique souvenir from Mildura.

The shape of the hat was 'in vogue' in the 16th - 17th century Italy, reminiscent of Shakespeare's play 'The Merchant of Venice'. Texture is lush velvet.

The colours I chose are the same as used by the Suffragettes in Australia by the Women's Freedom League (WFL) in 1909.

Gold: Enlightenment; Purple: Ambition, Dignity, Self-reverence, Self-respect; Green: Long cherished hopes and new life; White: Purity.

As for the final touch I incorporated the imprint of a brown hand into the lining in reference to her assay "Whitefella jump up"(2004), about the frantic grief that is eating the heart out of Aboriginal communities.

During question time (amongst the audience of several hundred people) I gathered enough courage to put my hand up and asked Germaine if she would accept this hat I especially made for her as a gift. She declined saying 'because of the tragic situation the world finds itself in she is not wearing colours anymore, only black and white and have no use for the hat. She offered to put her signature into the hat and suggested to raffle it for charity'.

I joined the long queue of people holding their books to be autographed, me holding this flamboyant hat amongst them. I don't think Germaine is accustomed to signing hats instead of books.

My reaction to her mourning statement is: "One should never forget the power of positive thinking. Humans react to colours like bees and butterflies. Whilst I endorse the urgency for immediate action against war and global warming, black and white and doomsday politics will increase the speed towards out destruction.

The original hat has gone into a family archive as a heirloom. A reproduction of Bette Midler's hat & scarf set has been donated for fundraising to Mildura Specialist School in lieu of Germaine's hat.

Created in early February 2005 by Krystyna Schweizer

Quote inside the hat: "I made this hat in honour of Germaine Greer, whose books are a great source of inspiration to me!" In blue pen is Germaine Greer's Autograph.

Bette Midler Hat:

Created in 2005 by Krystyna Schweizer

I never met Bette Midler in person. My sister Angela a flight attendant tended to Bette on a aircraft charted by Bette for her huge entourage for the 2005 Australian Tour. Knowing that Bette loves hats, Angela struck up a conversation discussing hats enlightening Bette about my unusual enterprise selling hats at Woodford Folk Festival*. Bette rang the office of Woodford Folk Festival asking if she could book a tour for herself, low key, no media!

She was shown the magnificent results of their massive tree planting project and other achievements. But no festival in progress and no Krystyna hats to look at.

My sister rang urging me to quickly make Bette and her assistant a hat and express post it to Brisbane so she can present it to her in person on her next flight.

Having no idea about Bette Midler's taste in fashion, I worked much of the night to make her a hat and scarf set of an outrageous synthetic fur fabric purchased in Adelaide days earlier and a snazzy cap for her assistant, presented to her by Angela as promised in mid air in the Australian sky aboard an aircraft.

A couple of weeks later I find a distinguished hand written envelope in the post, senders address New York. Lined with soft red paper, out comes a card embossed with a tiny silver heart in a circle inscribed 'Break it Not'. With the following inscription:

Thank you, Krystyna. I love your precious gifts - Can't wait to wear'm in. NYC - Aloha Bette

Woodford Folk Festival (Queensland, Australia) is known as the largest festival of its nature in the southern hemisphere. celebrated every year from Dec 26th - Jan 2nd.

Pauline Hanson Headdress:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

In 1997 Pauline Hanson's up rise prompted me to make this headdress to be worn at an Anti Hanson Protest Rally in Brisbane.

A photo of my great grandmother wearing a traditional headdress as it was custom in the Black Forest region (Germany) inspired the shape. Something about my great grandmothers eyes reminded me of cats.

The many bundles of feathers represent the colours of flags of various ethnic countries. The braid: red, black and yellow is indicative of Indigenous Culture in Australia. The heart at the center simply means: "Pauline, please take heart"

Created in 1997 by Krystyna Schweizer

Asylum Seekers:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

'There are no alternatives to detention' has become the rallying catch cry of our Federal Government.

The children overboard 'cover up', the misuse of the Nation's intelligence services during the Tampa controversy, severe mental trauma inflicted upon refugees and there children by indefinite detention.

All these tragic issues came swirling into my mind as I discovered a piece of fabric with little sailing boats during my regular op shop visits. In my special purpose box I found a big eye cut out from an old T-shirt yrs ago, a piece of chain and miniature plastic infants. I combined all these ingredients and gave birth to a huge top hat 12hrs later! At first I named Phillips and Amanda's Hat but later changed it to 'Asylum Seekers'.

Created in 2002 by Krystyna Schweizer

Antidote to RU486:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

The debate about RU-486 took me back to the days in the 1970's when I worked at Dr. Wainer's Fertility Control Clinic in East Melbourne. Little did I know that this debate will hit us again like a tonne of bricks 30yrs later! This is the beginning of the erosion of the emancipation of women if we don't take action.

The hat portrays 17 babies falling out of the 'safety net'. I chose 17 because back then I actually counselled a women pregnant with her 18th child!

The Bride and Groom are enclosed in a horse shoe surrounded by fairy wings. The missing head of the groom was unintentional. Whilst giving it the 'final stitch up' I pricked my finger, the hat fell on the floor and the grooms head rolled away. The lace and velvet was acquired from a damaged wedding gown.

Created in 2005 by Krystyna Schweizer

Unveiled: 'Islamophobic Backlash'

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

Under no circumstance is this meant to be inflammatory, offensive or to be misconstrued.

This is not to offend Islamic women on the contrary! It is to draw attention to the disrespect dished out to Islamic women! I made the piece to stimulate discussion.

The red transparent veil has red running drops indicative of the continuous bloodshed.

The crown of barbwire is symbolic to emphasize the danger of racial incarceration imposed by political, economic and religious structures affecting freedom of speech and freedom to choose, and to demystify cultural representation of the fundamental spiritualization that binds us all.

Shoe on a hat is not new. Elsa Schiaparelli adored by Salvadore Dali created a 'Shoehat' in the 1930's

Created in 2005 by Krystyna Schweizer

Cannabis Grand Mal:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

The argument over a 'drug debt' resulted in the assassination of a young man in our neighbourhood.

In my opinion, the excessive use of Cannabis in the 1990's by people of secondary school age was grossly underestimated.

To this day, the financial despair it causes to those addicted to it is enormous. There so much talk about illicit drugs whilst cannabis is silently taking its toll!

Its use amongst conservative looking people as apposed to 'the hippie image' is far more prevalent than we are willing to admit as a community!

I made this hat in 1995 as a wake up call for the Community of Sunraysia. The shape of the hat reminds me of Bob Marley era.

Its image portraying cannabis leaves, quoting " Mildura's way of saying Hi!" was printed on T-Shirts in 1972 and banned from the market under 'offensive goods laws' (so the story goes).

Created in 1995 by Krystyna Schweizer

Barbie Gone Grunge:

A Melbourne Cup Hat

I am no fan of Barbie and never liked the way she dresses nor her surreal body image. This is her new make over in preparation for her forty status to allow for extra mid life padding.

I bought several Barbie dolls made in the 60's from a garage sale thinking they could come in handy one day. Early 1999 I heard on radio that Barbie is having her 40th anniversary. I decided to somehow feature her on a Melbourne Cup Hat.

I prepared a base of several layers of tulle, applied it onto a wide brim stiff straw hat then dressed Barbie in a 1950's toilet roll dolly dress. Put her hair into a bun, glued an earring resembling a crown onto it and stitched a long apricot chiffon scarf to the base of the hat to prevent the wind from blowing it off.

Created in 1999 by Krystyna Schweizer

Anchored in Dogma:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

About the Ordination of Women.

The Braid at the base of the hat depicts women throwing up their arms in rage. The inner part of the pointy bit (barely visible on photo is lined with Halloween type images such as; pumpkins, witches and cats shown below.**

Created in 2001 by Krystyna Schweizer

The Republican Crown:

(A Ceremonial Headdress)

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

Inspired by the Republican debate and campaign for Reconciliation. This work symbolizes the transcendence of Racial-Cultural differences and societal barriers.

The top of the crown has 5 tender slim arms: white, black, red, yellow and brown reaching out from the centre resting on Uluru (Ayer's Rock), acting as a metaphor for the fundamental spiritualization that binds us all.

Hands were extensively used as a symbol during the Reconciliation Campaign. I stitched 2 hands, one white, one brown with green leaves in between on a rainbow coloured background, representing fertility and vegetation, and the parallels between the concept of the Mother and the Earth.

The string of beads and shells, the serpent and the baby is meant to give the piece a ceremonial aspect and indicates the societal conflict between tribalism and our own tribal instincts and colonialism and the imposition of foreign mores.

Created in 1998 by Krystyna Schweizer

Shakti:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

Shakti "Tantric title of Kali-Shakti, The Great Goddess (Kali Ma)" 1

I made the Shakti headdress to de-mystify the folkloric belief that peacock feathers are bad luck. Also to honour Shakti who wore a headdress very similar to this one full of peacock feathers, which I had spotted on a woodcarving somewhere in Asia.

Shakti translated: "Cosmic Energy" She implies "Power, Ability, Capacity, Faculty, Strength, Prowess, Regal Power, The power of the composition, Poetic Power, Genius, The power of signification of a word or term, The power inherent in cause to produce its necessary effect.." 2

Created in 1997 by Krystyna Schweizer

Barbara G Walker - The Women's Encyclopaedia of Myths and Secrets. 1983, p629. 1, 2

Medusa:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

This ceremonial headdress was created to highlight the positive aspects of Medusa and to de-mystify the stories of the terrible Gorgon whose look turned men into stone.

A female surrounded by serpent hair was an ancient, widely recognized symbol of the 'Wise Blood' that supposedly gave women their divine powers.*

Created in 2000 by Krystyna Schweizer

*Barbara G Walker - The Women's Encyclopaedia of Myths and Secrets. 1983, p629.

Marilyn:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

This 'Mardi Gras' type of headdress was created to remind us of Marilyn Monroe's dramatic short lived life.

In my opinion this Beautiful Women was a victim of political circumstance.

Fairy Floss like sweetness, Rose and Pearl like glamour and Feather like volatility.

The pleated chiffon border around Marilyn's image gives it a 'Maddona' like aspect of someone whose soul rests in peace!

The print was sourced from an approximately 30yr old T-Shirt.

Created in 2000 by Krystyna Schweizer

Mothers Rights - Chook:

Women's Unfinished Business Series.

Winner of the Mad Hatters prize, Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2003

Early 20th Century it was fashionable for Ladies to wear a hat with a dead (mummified) bird on top.

Loving chickens as pets and being a mother of 3 children inspired me to make the chook hat. I attached rooster like tail feathers on purpose to draw attention to the dual role of mother and father so many women have taken on.

Also to highlight the neglected issue on Maternity Leave and Appropriate Child Care.

Created in 2001 by Krystyna Schweizer