Bringing ‘it’ out of the body and into matter - fostering a contemplative and corresponsive methodology for costume design pedagogy
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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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en
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18
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Studies in Costume and Performance, Volume 9, issue 2, pp. 115-132
Abstract
Using materially oriented, embodied and reflective design methods can significantly enrich the educational experience in costume design by deepening students’ understanding of their design processes while increasing their creativity. This article analyses the pedagogical benefits of applying body-awareness-based devising methods, typically used in contemporary performance creation as a starting point, combined with a contemplative teaching approach. With the increased popularity of various devising and process-led approaches to performance-making, there is a growing need to build new knowledge on devised, process-oriented costume design approaches. This inquiry corresponds to the current shift in costume research and pedagogy, emphasizing the influence of costume’s material agency and the embodied experience of costume in enriching the performance-making process. The article is based on a research workshop held at Aalto University, Finland, in May 2023, with master-level students in costume design and fashion. The workshop employed an observational, stimulus–response methodology that focused on observing the variety of stimuli that materials ‘in’ and ‘of’ themselves evoked through an iterative sequence of sensitizing exercises. The students became mindful of and attuned to the materials they worked with, gradually guided towards instinctive, associative ideation alongside material engagement. The study shows that by engaging in material-led and body-aware work through reflective practice, students can empathetically access their own experiences and use them as a source of inspiration, resulting in a creative process that feels natural and responsive. The article argues that such methods applied to costume design pedagogy promote emancipatory and transformative aspects of learning, as they foster a connection between the students’ ‘self’ and their artistic work.Description
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Contemplative pedagogy, devising, embodied methods, material-led design, material experience, creative thinking, costume education, embodied techniques, mindfulness in higher education, costume and performance design education, material engagement, transformative learning, devising, material-led design, creative thinking
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Suurla, S 2024, 'Bringing ‘it’ out of the body and into matter - fostering a contemplative and corresponsive methodology for costume design pedagogy', Studies in Costume and Performance, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 115-132. https://doi.org/10.1386/scp_00114_1