Conceptual design, 2018
Bicycle by Oh Tae Seok explores the effects of trauma and tragedy and the pain and shadow of death. The play warps time, exploring the relationship between past and present, and he draws from elements of traditional Korean theatre.
My process began with a combination of research into Korean history, performance and dress, and more impulsive art-based responses. This included smoke drawings, as fire is the central disaster in the play.
The final design aimed to use elements of historical Korean dress, such as the mourning clothes worn by the Uncle, and persimmon-dyed clothes, as well as being inspired by P'ansori, in which the performance takes place on a mat. I also drew on the rural setting and history and the storytelling space became a millstone that could be turned in transitions and mark the passing of time. The aim was to create a versatile storytelling space, that felt both intimate and mysterious, in which the story could come alive.
