11 August 2016

Seen at the preview of the MCA Chicago & Walker Art Center exhibitions about dancer, choreographer Merce Cunningham: costumes by Rei Kawakubo

The exhibition 'Merce Cunningham: Common Time' will be shown simultaneously from 11 February until 30 April next year 2017 at MCA Chicago and at the Walker Art Center (8 February – 10 September). Even when there are several months left until the exhibitions open, the first previews of what will be exhibited for the exploration of the work of US choreographer and dancer Merce Cunningham (1919 - 2009) have been released already. Main focus are collaborations such as with Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, or Rei Kawakubo (founded the fashion label Comme des Garçons in the late 1960s).

fig.: Merce Cunningham and Rei Kawakubo during costume fitting at Westbeth, 2000. New York, NY. Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, courtesy of the photographer.

Rei Kawakubo said about the intention for her collaboration with Merce Cunningham for the dance performance 'Scenario' (premiered 1997): “Fashion was very boring, and I was very angry. I wanted to do something extremely strong. It was a reaction. The feeling was to design the body.” (Cited from walkerart.org where pictures and closer descriptions of Rei Kawakubo's striped and checked costumes with altered body proportions are published.)


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