Exhibitions
Paris likes to make an exhibition of himself; each year he mounts a solo exhibition. In the past these have been staged in Australia, but the world is now his oyster, with “A View from Millionaire’s Row” staged in 2007 and “The Color of Racing” staged in 2009, both in Louisville, Kentucky.
Paris Kyne Master Milliner presents his 2012 exhibition
The lobby of Crown Promenade Hotel, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank.
The press release states - "Warped, Twisted and then Wrapped focuses on 3D wirework, which simply put is a frame made out of wire which is then covered in braid. Each of the eight pieces have been hand sculptured (warped), then the wires are joined together (twisted) and finally the completed frame is covered in braid (wrapped). This new exhibition looks at 3D wireworks and plays with the illusions of both positive and negative space."” and “With this exhibition I wanted use as few materials as possible. Any shape is possible by using your imagination and by simply changing the shape and colour of a work and using variations that are only vaguely related. Out of the 8 hats, you see only a handful of simple millinery materials used repeatedly. For example there is cotton covered millinery wire, silk covered millinery wire, Gutermann upholstery thread, fancy petti pearl straw braid, sinamay and Petersham ribbon."
Staged at The Clement Meadmore Gallery in The Academy of Design, Port Melbourne. curated by Paris as part of the cultural programme for the 2011 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week.
The press release stated - “The contemporary consumer is often accused of knowingly or unknowingly buying landfill purchases, they satisfy for only a moment and are then dumped. Join us for this exhibition exploring society’s lust for the latest and greatest, as each of the selected artists showcase their talent. Each piece in the exhibition will be lavish to the extreme, so let your imagination go into overdrive! Some of the other designers who will show specifically made works are Simon Bainbridge, Diane Masters, Jeanette Cleary, Jeanette Maree designs, Deb Selleck, Kerry Hayes, Anna Kolusniewski, Tracey Pallett, Tatyana Anderson, Margaret Addis and Annie Cabral.”
An exhibition celebrating the Elements of Design, shown at Melbourne’s GPO, during Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2010.
The press release stated- “In this exhibition, Paris Kyne Master Milliner promotes couture millinery and explains how it is designed and constructed. The exhibition shows seven especially constructed pieces designed and made by Master Milliner Paris Kyne with their wooden hats blocks next to them. Accompanying each piece is a description of how the finished work was designed and constructed, also listed are the origins of each material used and the history of each hat block. So that you the viewer may viewer discover how traditional materials and methods are employed today in couture millinery.” and “With every product that is designed, the elements and principals of design should be taken into consideration. In this exhibition we not only take them into consideration, but we celebrate them. For example “A Study of Value” is a black and white wirework piece covered in vintage petti pearl Swiss straw braid. The wirework frame has been made twice, once in black and once in white, with the black one sitting a little behind and slightly to the right of the white. This gives the viewer the opportunity to see the echo of the first in the second.”
The second international solo exhibition, staged in Louisville, Kentucky in the lead up to the Kentucky Derby 2009.
The press release stated- “21c Museum will present an exhibition The Color of Racing of Paris Kyne’s artistically explosive collection of hats, inspired by past Kentucky Derby winners.” and “The Color of Racing is a celebration of the color, movement and spirit of horse racing. Paris, who was recently inducted into Australia’s renowned City of Stonnington Fashion Hall of Fame, is well known for his often outrageous, but always beautiful hats, seen at race courses around the world. After attending his first Kentucky Derby in 2007, Paris was inspired by the sea of color at Churchill Downs. At the forefront of the exhibition is his tribute to the 2007 Derby winner Street Sense who made a memorable move from nineteenth place to a win by 2 1/4 lengths. This remarkable piece is a stunning yellow sinamay wave with vintage royal blue Swiss straw braid edges and a large feather shooting through the entire piece to symbolize the dynamism of the track.”
Instead of an exhibition in 2008, Paris was inducted into the City of Stonnington’s Fashion Hall of Fame. The function took place on the 27th of February at the Prahran Town Hall on Chapel Street. Paris showed seven pieces from his past, then eight pieces made especially for the night and walked down the gold catwalk with his finale piece “The Chandelier” which won the Myer Millinery Competition in 1989.
And the press release stated - “Paris Kyne designs are seen on the most fashionable heads during Melbourne’s world-renowned Spring Racing Carnival and at other race tracks around the country and around the world. A hat designed for hotel heiress and It Girl Paris Hilton to wear on Derby Day is now in the Australian Racing Museum.” and “Kyne joins a who’s who of Australia’s designers and fashion industry elite to be inducted into Stonington’s Fashion Hall of Fame, including Alannah Hill, Joe Saba, Perri Cutten, Jenny Bannister, Barbara Wilson, Craig Kimberley, David Medwin, Charlie Digby, Prue Acton, John Caville, Margaret Porritte, Sally Brown, Lisa Barron, Adele Palmer, Jane Lamberton, Karen Merkel and Lillian Frank.”
the first international exhibition, staged at Objects of Desire Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky, USA during the Kentucky Derby in 2007.
The press release stated – “A London trained, award winning veteran of 18 years, Paris received his technical knowledge while working for internationally renowned celebrity milliner, the late William Beale. Paris has cemented his position as Australia’s foremost milliner, crafting hats for celebrities, socialites and the international jet set.” and “Paris has spent ten weeks in his native Australia hand making the 60 unique hats for his first international exhibition, then shipped them to America to be displayed by the galleries permanent curator Julia Comer. The exhibition will run for a four week period with Paris making a special in gallery appearance from April 28 to May 4 then attending both the Oaks and Derby as he has never seen racing in America before.”
Displayed in Chapter House Lane, behind St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne in 2006. Six headpieces inspired by the art glass windows of St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
The press release stated – “The entire exhibition was created from 633 metres of wire and 1945 glass beads. All pieces were made in a four week period which started on the 9th May and ended on the 1st June 2006, with 227 hours work involved to crochet, mould, scrunch and twist the wire and beads into extremely artistic renditions of the window within St Paul’s Cathedral”. and “St Paul’s Cathedral is currently involved in a 'restoration and renewal programme'. From start to finish this project will take approximately 8 years and involve hundreds of tradesmen from carpenters to stonemasons. As part of the renewal project two large processional doors at the Flinders Street entrance were installed in early 2005. These were donated by the Sidney Myer Fund and members of the Myer family. The centre piece of the glass work on the doors is the 'Burst of Light at the conversion of St Paul'. At Paris Kyne – Master Milliner they have basically copied this explosive piece into the “Burst of Light” headpiece which contains 108 metres of gold wire and 349 glass bugal beads”.
Staged at The Galleria shopping centre, Melbourne, in 2005. This exhibition showed 15 pieces made over a 15 year period for one client. It clearly illustrated how the style of both client and milliner have evolved.
The press release stated - “Gail Humphreys has an astonishing 59 hats in her collection, 49 of which carry the Paris Kyne or Michael F Kyne labels. The other 10 include 2 by the now retired English Royal Milliner, Frederick Fox and four vintage pieces by Melbourne Milliner William Beale, both of whom Paris has worked for in his life.” and “highlights on display include “The Cobra” a three tone taupe vintage straw braid and pari sisal piece form 1996. “ Ralph the Hat”, a split brimmed beret in brown fox fur from 1998. “Escargot” a two tone green malucine felt snail with gold wire detailed neck, head and feelers from 2002.”
Staged at LOCAD - the Library of Costume and Design, Moorabbin, Victoria in 2004. Nine feathered headpieces celebrating the ancient art of feather manipulation.
The press release stated - “This year Paris has made nine fantastical feathered head pieces using exotic feathers such as Lady Amhurst pheasant, ringneck pheasant and the adorable baby chinchilla (and no, chinchilla feathers have nothing to do with the dog breed of the same name)” and “Feathers are a Paris Kyne trademark. His usage of feathers has spanned the last 15 years and he takes special pride in being able to manipulate a feather into a strange or even obscure shape for usage upon his hats”.
Staged at LOCAD - the Library of Costume and Design, Moorabbin, Victoria in 2003. Works included Ned Kelly’s helmet and the Victorian Arts Centre spire.
The press release stated - “This year, Paris combines two of his greatest loves - icons and chicken wire to bring us a new way to look at the same sights” and “Ned Kelly’s helmet has worked its way into our national psyche, with two Kelly exhibitions this year and yet another movie, he seems to have made an interesting shift from villain to hero … The original Kelly helmet was made from components of the No 2 Lennon plough, whereas Paris’ copy has been made from chicken wire, which is far lighter to wear, and is far more comfortable, as it lets huge amounts of light and air through”.
Staged at Chapel Off Chapel, Prahran, Victoria in 2002. Revisiting the German cabaret scene just before World War II.
The Press release stated - “Inspiration for the nine headpieces in this exhibition have been drawn from this overtly stylish but brief moment in time where the beautiful creatures of the night ruled, they governed wearing their French lingerie and suspender belts (and that wasn’t only the females). They stalked the bars and smoky clubs looking to indulge in the latest novelty or each other.” and “Millinery of this period was cocktail based; quite small and poised at overly raked angles with an emphasis on shinning fabrics. Black, cream and purple will be the only colours used, bringing attention to the silhouette of each piece.”.
Staged at Convent Gallery, Daylesford, Victoria 1998. Fifteen hats modelled on surrealism / the surrealists.
The press release stated - “My love of Dali and all things Dali-ish has lead to three pieces dedicated to him. His “Persistence of Memory” (soft clocks) has been made into a beaded felt cloche, his lobster telephone sculpture of 1936, now at the Tate, has been transformed into the “Are you listening to me?” piece. Whilst the “Sea Urchin” hat has been sequined to near extinction” and “If you think glacier souffle with lambs fry pavlova sounds intriguing, you really should see this exhibition”.
First solo exhibition, staged at the Meat Market Craft Centre in North Melbourne, Victoria in 1997. The exhibition reinterpreted 13 of the world’s greatest pieces of architecture remodeled to be worn as hats.
The press release states - "Michael F Kyne’s first solo exhibition has been constructed from materials not from the usual range for a milliner. Imagine, Utzon’s Sydney Opera House made out of bubble wrap. Richard Rodgers’ George Pompidou Centre in aviary wire and knitting wool and Gaudi’s Park Guell in wire and florist tape". and "the greatest pieces of architecture in the world, rebuilt to be worn with a twist”. And “As this is my first solo exhibition, I want to go all out, so that researching the buildings, drawing endless variations on each piece and then spending a huge amount of time creating them is an absolute necessity."