Access to HE Design Course: NICOLA L'S RED COAT

Nicola L, a woman in the Pop

Nicola L is a French artist, born in 1937 in Morocco but she lived in New York for a long time.

She is one of the women artists in the movement of Pop Art.

How women has always been omitted from the canon of this movement, is the major inspiration for Nicola’s works. Her practice is mainly based on functional objects like sculptures, but with a purpose, they can be lamps, chest of drawers or coats. All these works resembles feminine shapes. When Nicola L went to New York for the first time, in 1967, she was overwhelmed by the magnificence of this city. It was incredibly active, revolutionary, innovative and different. The artist was highly influenced by the Pop Art in this city.

Nicola can set an example of artist who used this language to reflect upon the role of women in society at that time.

The Red Coat for 11 people, is one of the main works of Nicola L. It was created in occasion of a Music Festival in 1970. This coat enclosed the idea of “same skin for everybody”. Everybody is and has to be the same. Because of its immediate success, Nicola decided to travel with the coat. It brought a highly social meaning, because once the eleven people were inside, they were the same. The artist has the role of director. The most recent exhibition of the coat was in London in 2015. A video about it is kept in the Tate website.

My understanding about this video, let me reflect about the impact caused to the public. It is funny but curious at the same time. It is an example of experimentation with the manner in which the body interacts with the artwork. The trumpet player who accompanies the group increases the sense of curiosity, because we don’t really know if it refers to jazz music in New York in the 60’s or if it is a sort of busking around the streets.

If we think about the concept of “same skin for everybody”, we think of a world-referred message which can therefore be related to other things. From both the past and the present times. It can be related to race equalities and no discrimination as well.

A personal reflection to conclude my review, can be that art and music are probably the unique languages we all understand and are able to interpret. Nicola L set the example of an artists who reworked this concept with her skills, provoking me happiness, curiosity and restlessness.