Fashion photographer Ella Manor visits the 'Piece of Mind' exhibition in Holon, the display of 15 headpieces by young Israeli designers.
By ELLA MANORHouse of Nona(photo credit: ELLA MANOR)Holy Fashion, a weekly column, follows fashion photographer Ella Manor as she explores new trends and icons within the fashion and culture of IsraelThis week we’ve decided to cover a fabulous fashion design event called PIECE OF MIND at the design museum in Holon. The exhibition includes the display of 15 headpieces by young israeli designers. The pieces were inspired by the drag queen Nona Chalant which is portrayed and was created by Ronny Shukrun from "House of Nona." Ido Wolfman’s beautiful fashion photographs of Ronny as Nona wearing the headpieces are also exhibited. For the opening event Nona is wearing a natural flower arrangement who's designers I've interviewed for Jpost in addition to an exclusive interview with nona herself.I’m here with a pair of lovely designers, Katy Oposhnian and Alex Eyal, from Negia Itsuvit who designed Nona’s headpiece for tonight’s gala. Tell me a little bit about yourselves and when you started doing this.We’ve been designing for almost ten years in the field. Designing with flowers mainly, and love doing it. So you do flower art and arrangements for weddings and events? Yes, we have a company and that’s our specialty.Is this the first time you’ve designed a head piece from real flowers?A head piece yes, but we’ve down flower accessories before- bags, scarfs, hand held fans, things like that. Where can we find your work?On our Facebook page. Is the work always from fresh flowers?Yes, we work with fresh flowers, that’s our specialty. So its usually only functional for a few hours?Yes, for an event, a fashion show or a gala like today. Do you sometimes collaborate with fashion designers for their runway productions?We would like to, yes.It hasn't happened yet?Not Yet.Are you guys self taught?In the beginning yes, and then we were not challenged enough so we also took some professional classes, but it has to come from within. Well, the headpiece is beautiful and I for one would love to collaborate with you guys on a fashion production in the future. Good luck!(Interview with Ronny Shukrun as 'Nona')Hi Nona.Hi, shalom.So we’ve been chatting for a while, we have a mutual friend Robi (fashion designer Robert Zlotnick) but today we finally meet and I’m meeting as your bewitching Nona persona. So I have a few questions…Shoot.When did House of Nona Start, when did you start doing what you are doing?Three and a half years ago I started House of Nona to promote Israeli designersSo you’re character actually provides a platform or blank canvas for young designers to show their work?Yes, its a platform to create, with an emphasis on fashion but it can actually be combined with any artist. Jewelry, graphic designers, painters, dancers, even musicians, anything goes and its all under the House of Nona brand name. Very cool and innovative idea. How does it work?I look very carefully to select artists whose work I find attractive. Both emerging and more established artist whose work fascinates me can collaborate with me. And then when I find then I start building a vision, they inspire me and then I inspire them right back. So sometimes its your initiative and sometime artists approach you? Yes, now I get approached more often with ideas for collaborations And then you find a platform for the collaboration, like here, like an exhibition?Yes first we have the idea of working together and then we find the platform. From project to project my work collects more traction, and more people know who I am and it gets easier to find places to exhibit or collaborate with. Also, this is the work really, to do the PR for all of this. Drag art is not something you see every day so to promote that art form and to make everyone and anyone see that it is art and they can enjoy it as such. I want to break into the culture within that niche art form. I hear you and I totally support your cause, I think its super important, especially in Israel when there is so little of it here and I personally enjoy good drag art a lot, it calms me down for some strange reason.What I do also connects a lot of worlds.I can totally relate to that as its what I do as well, break and blend the boundaries between the fashion and fine art worlds while merging them with other philosophies and genres of creation. Its another tool to create, with the character.Who is the man behind House of Nona?Ronny Shukrun is the guy, my alter ego.Which means what exactlyIt means me in my regular more relaxed, less extreme mode which also functions as a photographer, graphic designer, still in the visual and fashion worlds but usually behind the scenes. With Nona its an opportunity to create something that Ronny cant. When we talk about drag in Israel, does it something that exists? is it in the making? do people accept, do they show you support, what kind of reactions do you get?Its a relatively big community for a niche community. Mainly in acting, on stage. I took it to my world of fashion and photography. I think a still image is very powerful and can live forever, this is a concept I bring from the photography world. The twist is that I came from behind the camera into the forefront. Very cool my dear. We will get together soon and think about what to do together. It would be my honor and pleasure....To contact Nona and see more of what she’s up to visit her Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/NONACHALANTAll the images of Nona in custom made headpieces were shot by the talented Ido Wolfman....
The writer/photographer is a multimedia artist, fashion photographer and trendsetter.
