BWW Reviews: From Canvas To Costume

Taymor/ Lion King

Zuber/ Light in the Piazza

Bryant/ Madmen

FROM CANVAS TO COSTUME

Wednesday, April 24 at 6:00 pm

Tim Gunn, fashion consultant
Janie Bryant, costume designer
Julie Taymor, director and designer
Catherine Zuber, costume designer,

By Lynn Stein

I think everyone is familiar with the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the home of some of the most beautiful and valuable artifacts, decorative arts and paintings from centuries ago but what you may not be aware of is that through the Egyptian collection behind heavy wooden doors lies the The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium that hosts a full series of inspiring lectures and performances under the curatorial guidance of Limor Tomer. As a fashion maven and devoted follower of Project Runway and a Parsons graduate myself oh so many years ago it was a particular thrill to write about this particular experience for BWW.

Moderator, the charismatic and quick thinking Tim Gunn along with a stellar panel of today's most visionary and influential costume designers made the audience feel they were eaves dropping on a dinner party: The stellar panel included Janie Bryant, Emmy-Award winner ("Deadwood" and "Mad Men"), Tony-Award winner director and costume designer Julie Taymor ("The Lion King," "Across the Universe," "The Tempest"), a designer and director who works with metaphoric materials rather than fabric and Tony-Award winner Catherine Zuber ("South Pacific," "The Light in the Piazza"). The discussion took many turns that felt like an homage to the Metropolitan Museum itself. What I found most interesting was that their inspirations came not only from just the paintings which focused on the fashion of the day but also on the energy that was contained in the works be it a vase, masks, sculpture or a random drawing. The core concern was the visceral power of any expressionist work and not as literal as using images directly featuring fashion in the painting.

Gunn made a point that he visits the Met at least once a week. Taymor's next project is "Midsummer Nights Dream" which come to her amidst great expectation as many feel this project was the perfect project made for Taymor." No expectation is better", said Taymor. So she is feeling the pressure to be unique, to not repeat herself .The panel spoke of the rare actor who would refuse to wear a costume because of its limiting movement. In those rare cases the director wins and the actor makes it work. Janie Bryant, designer of Mad Man spoke of period research, the colors and lots of talk of women's foundations from the period. "Our body shape-wear of today is nothing compared to the girdles of those days" pointed out Bryant. The audience was filled with women but men were also present asking excellent questions. Near the end of the evening an audience member asked the buffoo question of the evening to the panel." How did you decide what you were going to wear this evening?" The audience took a collective giggle and then sat at the edge of their seats to hear the answers.

Of the most interesting Janie Bryant sat in her Mad Men glory, fitted colorful silky bright floral and a bright pencil skirt and some kick ass ankle boots in florescent orange. I could think of only Joan. She mentioned a pink salmon chiffon dress that she passed on, fear that it would be too shear. Julie Taymor wore a comfy black grey knit skirt, sweater, tights which she claims to wear everyday. Catherine Zuber was in comfortable black with a slick black satin ribbon headband to outline her delicate features and Tim Gunn simply deadpanned pointing to his tie and pocket square,

Below is a listing of near future lectures:

Learn from leading international scholars, curators, and other specialists about the latest in academic, curatorial, and conservation research. Presented in conjunction with current exhibitions or unique projects. Free with Museum admission; no tickets or reservations required unless otherwise noted.

For more information, please call 212-396-5460.

http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/lectures-and-panels/symposia

• Ticketed Talk

Georgia O'Keeffe: New Mexico/New Subjects

Wednesday, May 8, 6:00 p.m.

Reserve tickets

• Ticketed Talk

Climate Change: Paul Miller & Bill McKibben in Conversation

Thursday, May 9, 6:00 p.m. $25.00

• Ticketed Talk

Tulips Beyond Holland: Inspirations from Flowers in Islamic Art

Wednesday, May 15, 2:30 p.m.

$25.00 to $45.00

• Ticketed Talk

Plain or Fancy, Restraint and Exuberance: A Conversation about Taste

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m. $25.00

Documenting War

Tuesday, May 21, 6:00 p.m. $27.00

Glittering Images: An Evening with Camille Paglia in Conversation with Carrie Rebora Barratt

Wednesday, May 22,