I created a costume design in order to fully embody the design space. I used my skills in designing patterns and sewing.

The sculpted and manipulated tulle veil neckline expressed my reflection on Salome as a veiled personality who hid the true self as was thrown into and disappeared within projections of other's points of view.

Designing the costume I wanted to achieve the effect of enclosing the body in fabric so that I additionally created a hood to hide female attributes hair, eyes, face.

I decided to use neoprene as it felt to me as thick skin, protection, concealing emotions "water" proof top with trousers garment that I imagined Salome would wear in XXI Century. For my second design, I chose a lightweight fabric, eco-friendly bamboo jersey. 

I used additional animalistic-looking parts as avant-garde decoration underlining the unconstrained, character of Salome.

I have undertaken 9 activities in order to research the subject:

1 – 3. Painting with a brush. feet, hands-on large piece of paper experimenting the music in relation to a distance in space and embodiment:

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https://youtu.be/TF7XeEZ0iNY

https://youtu.be/GMXJd0Mrahk

https://youtu.be/yWcbjpnTvGM

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Please preview video from min 8:00: https://youtu.be/KygAFyViO0o

Painting with feet let me experience the rhythm and tones of various instruments playing, speed, emotional message, and further intuitively express the music with my sense of touch while listening to "Dance of Seven Veils".

Painting with hands

Painting on small canvas I practiced expression in a condensed space and potentials of variety of: tools used (colours & shapes created), type of brushes, little dishes for paint, surface for painting.

Preview Link: https://youtu.be/LKCRS9DXSLg

Painting on glass with natural light.

I discovered opportunities of creating “virtual space” and glimmering textures created as natural light projections on a wall by natural light exposed going through glass.

I placed the glass painting in natural light and achieved a sensational visual effect. Suddenly there was another space. An illusion of open space as if the physical barrier of the wall disappeared opening into a three-dimensional perception.

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The glow, glimmering silver, and black paint in natural projection looked like a design pattern. After the practice, I started thinking about the metaphysical character of light and possibilities of crossing the barriers, light projections, attending another dimension, forward-looking.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxfpF8tnfAY/

• • • https://youtu.be/c7LzC99bNm0

      https://youtu.be/vnGDGFCkiTw

Painting with technology - Go Pro Camera

I experimented with instant feelings, instant reflection, instant preview of my creative input – painting while listening to Richard Strauss' composition “Dance of Seven Veils”.That instant preview was very surprising and allowed certain satisfaction of being able to have direct input in the live performance.

https://youtu.be/9iP2u9XYr7Y

https://youtu.be/G7CVJ_0Z3v0

The use of new media technology fascinated me as it allowed to bring the performance into multidisciplinary character. Using Isadora software I was able to create a unified space that contained: visual perception, movement and sensorial experience, video design, live recording, motion trackers, sensors and projection mapping. The space allowed for the immersive character of the performance, connection between performer and audience and potential for creating empathy in space. In my opinion use of new media technology gives a possibility for innovating performance design as well as transforming audience perspective.

The analysis of the data collected brought the idea and interest in using Go Pro Camera as a direct and instant recording of an authentic expression of the emotional state of the painter-performer. while listening to sound.

Experimenting with painting that involved a lot of abstract shapes and visually reach textures in the performed space. I decided to stay in the background with my self and my own performing body. I wanted to represent the aeasthetic actions in space rather than my own presence. The idea was for my body only to be a vessel for artistic expression to emerge from. I hoped to disappear in the painted landscape.

Experimenting with the  movement opened me up and inspired to perform  a new role - to become  a performer and to experience my own scenographic design directly.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

Immersing myself in music and expressing it while painting brought the idea of an embodied reality, collision of two senses: hearing and vision and possibility for authentic self-expression.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

I undertook various experiments  projection mapping the collected data on the costume.

"Virtual pattern" appeared as an individual expression of a journey through sound. Projected on the fabric of the costume became a unique pattern for each of the painter-performer.

Through use of technology audience was able to “virtually touch”, have direct input on the visual representation of the colours and shapes appearing on the fabric. For some, it was a very visceral experience of being able to have a straightforward point of contact with another's body without actual physical gesture. Audience felt psychologically and physically affected by taking active participation. The virtually transferred painting via projection mapping on the costume became an entity in itself. It was very rewarding to see each participant creating a very personal visualisation of the sound.

Future work: It was a discovery for me that each participant created an authentic “visceral self portrait” while listening to the same sound R. Strauss “Dance of Seven Veils” from opera Salome. The outcome inspired me to think and start researching the potential of audio-visual performance to be linked further with art therapy practice – creating a visceral landscape. I naturally aspire to collaborate with other visual artists, musicians, music composers, graphic designers, filmmakers.

Authenticity: I collected 37 individualy designed paintings each having authetntic style, shapes, colours and structures. The paintings resembled a look of a fabric, became an e-fabric that was unique to each performer. The aesthetic outcome of painting in motion was a fluid expression of reaction to intuitive listenning of a sound of Richard Strauss' “Dance of seven veils”.

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I found following outcomes of the performance with audience participation: Opportunity of self expression, attention to sensesory experience, self awareness, slowing down own actions, surprise, unity of all levels - togetherness, being given agency, being immersed, being involved, being creative, experimenting, freedom, creating empathy.