Fragment/a.

Fragment/a was the research project Thorogood undertook as part of his appointment as the first V&A Designer in Residence, from September 2003 – August 2004.

Throughout his investigations, Thorogood observed that many displays never possessed a state of physical completion. Many of the objects once belonged to a larger set, collection or structure but due to ageing, damage, distribution of ownership or logistics of display their exhibition was only ever partial. However, the means and type of presentation had always been carefully considered. In some cases, the exhibit is physically incorporated into the frame or mount, creating a blurring of space, object and display.

The peripherals of the museum, such as overlooked spaces, display cases, lighting, temporary presentations, repairs, renovations and traces of previous displays would also be considered, becoming as culturally charged as the ‘legitimate’ artefacts and exhibits.

The incomplete garment (or ‘frag/ment’) displayed on the incomplete mannequin module (or ‘data-quin’) was to function as a peculair 21st century dressing table or clothes horse and projection screen that belonged to both a fictional past and future, fitting rather fraudulently into the galleries of the V&A.

V&A Designer in Residence, 2003 - 2004.