Collaboration Project: Metamorphosis - Research

Following the Industry Project, we were offered various projects in collaboration with the other foundation pathways: Graphics, Lens-Based Media and 3D Design. The project I chose is inspired by 'The Metamorphosis' by Kafka and its themes. I chose this project because my main interest within the Fashion and Textiles pathway is costume design, and I was interested in translating the themes and characters of the story into this.

Metamorphosis:

'The Metamorphosis' is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in German in 1915. The story begins with a travelling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a large, monstrous, insect-like creature. The cause of Samsa's transformation is never revealed. The story deals with the aftermath of this occurrence and the reactions of Gregor's parents and sister, who are repulsed by the creature he has become. Themes I took from this are ideas of the hidden inner nature of people as, despite his repulsive appearance, Gregor maintains very human emotions throughout. The ideas of transformation (as the title of the book suggests) are also prevalent, though it is argued that the change the title refers to may not be Gregor's, as the story begins after his transformation. It is instead hypothesised that the 'metamorphosis' affects his sister Greta, who begins the story sympathetic and kind but becomes angry and resentful towards her brother. Eventually fatally injuring him, she behaves cruelly despite her outward beauty.

Brighton: 

Jan Svankmajer

As part of our research we spent a day in Brighton, visiting an exhibition and taking observational photos and drawings . 

The exhibition we visited was 'The Inner Life of Objects' by Jan Svankmajer, a Czech filmmaker and artist whose work spans several media. He is a self-labelled surrealist known for his animations.

This exhibition featured a variety of work; however the area that mainly interested me was the displays of animal skeletons fused with other objects to create surreal creatures. A lot of the work showed artefacts or animals being given new dimensions, revealing different and twisted natures. There was something mythological about the things he sculpted, animated and drew which I feel fits well with the unexplained magical elements of Gregor's transformation.

My Observational Drawings of The Exhibition

After The exhibition we wandered around Brighton taking observational photos to add our research:

All together the day in Brighton was very interesting and Jan Svankmajer's work fitted well with the themes I had already picked out from the novella, such as that of inner nature being incongruous with outside appearance. It was useful for my research and has inspired some ideas about how to interpret 'The Metamorphosis' in costume.