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Designing tattoos as opposed to clothes, Carri ‘Cassette Playa’ Munden’s uncompromising SS13 presentation entitled ‘Blood Rites’, explored the cultural relevance of tribes and body art in modern times. Hosting an unflinching short art-docu film in the screening rooms of the Hospital Club on Sunday morning, Carri took a bold new direction with her aesthetic. Living in Frankfurt for the duration of her month-long artistic residency at Weltkuren Museum, the candy-haired, cult designer has taken her inspiration this season from Papua New Guinea’s Sepik River scarification rituals. Incorporating the rites of passage boys take to become men within the Brazilian Kayapo tribe, marked by ceremonial, crocodile-like markings, body artist Maxime Buchi tattooed Michael Mayren and Sam Bayliss Imbram with Cassette Playa’s intricate, tribal designs live, filmed by director Santiago Arbelaez. Focusing on the sporting, violent side of tattooing cultures popular in the UK, Carri explores the problems that superficial role models present within western society, and juxtaposes this with archived footage of scarification ceremonies practiced within the context of tribal rites of passage. Not to be translated literally, Casette Playa’s aesthetic intentions play out like a stream of consciousness. Delivering no specific message or mission statement,’Blood Rites’ simply passes comment on what it means to be a man today and the pressure society places upon boys to mature, physically and emotionally. i-D online caught up with Carri to find out how a natural blonde can be so bold.
Text: Milly McMahon
Images courtesy Carri Mundane
