‘Insubordinate Costume’ PhD research, MA Performance workshop, Goldsmiths, January 2019. Performer: Luigi Ambrosio.
Insubordinate costumes subvert the traditional hierarchies of the theatre by becoming the starting point of a performance. Their design imposes on the performers which usually necessitates an alternative, creative approach to space, form and movement.
As part of my PhD research exploring the link between play and scenographic costume, I have developed a series of “modular scenographic costumes” which are light-weight and easily transportable while still retaining their three-dimensional nature.
Modular scenographic costumes are made from multiple pieces that can be taken apart and reassembled in various ways, offering numerous possibilities for creative interpretation. They change form and significance by interacting with the performer’s body and can be worn and played with as abstract shapes or transformed into more recognizable pieces of clothing or objects.