New York Butoh Institute
in association with
Theater for the New City
Crystal Field, Executive Director
present
NEW YORK BUTOH INSTITUTE FESTIVAL 19
in celebration of Butoh’s 60th anniversary
Tatsumi Hijikata’s original costume of Revolt of the Body (1968). Photo Matthew Placek.
Sunday, October 27, 2019, 3pm to 5pm
Artist Talk and short film
at
Theater for the New City (Johnsons)
155 1st Avenue
NY NY 10003
(between 9th and 10th Street)
FREE ADMISSION
PROGRAM:
SHORT FILM OF TATSUMI HIJIKATA IN REVOLT OF THE BODY
INTRODUCTION BY VANGELINE
ARTIST TALK WITH TODD THOMAS
PHOTO OPP FOR AUDIENCES
In 1968 came a turning point in Butoh’s history with a dance solo called Tatsumi Hijikata and The Japanese - Revolt of the Flesh, performed by the founder of Butoh Tatsumi Hijikata in Tokyo. For the legendary performance, Tatsumi Hijikata wore a spectacular red costume, which was presumably made by hand by his wife, Akiko Motofuji. The long, ruffled costume was inspired by flamenco dance. Since 1968, it has captured the imagination of hundreds of Butoh enthusiasts worldwide. Until now, only black and white photographs were available of this magnificent costume.
Tatsumi Hijikata. Photo By Tadao Nakatani. Courtesy Tastumi Hijikata Archives.
This year, thanks to a Janet Arnold Award of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a loan from the Tatsumi Hijikata Archives, Vangeline Theater/ New York Butoh Institute researched how the costume was designed by recreating it. The costume was professionally photographed by Matthew Placeck, and recreated by Todd Thomas.
Sunday, October 27 at 3pm, costume expert Todd Thomas, who recreated the iconic 1968 costume, will give a lecture discussing the recreation process, shedding light on how the original costume was designed and constructed. The costume will be on display on stage during the presentation.
Hijikata’s legendary costume is a totem of sorts; it holds secrets of the avant-garde art form. Much like Butoh itself, it was born at the confluence of East and West. This costume chronicles the evolution of postmodern art in Japan, and as such, deserves to be carefully studied, and thrown into the limelight once again.
Costumes are an essential part of the magic of performances. This costume has become part of the legacy of Butoh and is a historical treasure. As such, Vangeline Theater/ New York Butoh Institute gives it its rightful place in history by documenting it for future generations.
We are grateful to The Tatsumi Hijikata Archives, who made a generous loan of this historical costume for the duration of the project. After the Festival, our findings and photographs will be made available through The New York Butoh Institute online archives, as well as the Tatsumi Hijikata’s archives at Keio University in Japan.
Collaborator Todd Thomas
Originally from Murphysboro, Illinois, with roots in Saint Louis Missouri, Todd Thomas is a cross-disciplinary art director, designer and educator who has been based in New York for thirty years. Drawing on over twenty-five years of experience working across the disciplines of art, fashion and entertainment, Thomas envisions the long-term needs of these diverse creative fields from concept through execution, to branding and disbursement. Working with leading cultural figures, trailblazers and celebrity clientele, Thomas possesses a holistic understanding of how art and design not only delights aesthetically but acts as an economic engine and socio-cultural force that improves lives. Past clients have included Cindy Sherman, Justin Vivian Bond, CR Fashion, Katy Perry, Debbie Harry, Nicki Minaj, Gwen Stephanie, Jennifer Lopez, Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Helmut Lang, Vangeline Theater, Versace, Vera Wang and Kanye West. In addition to his freelance work, Thomas has worked as adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design, a career mentor at the Ali Forney Center, and served as the Senior Director of Barrett Barrera Projects’ New York Office, focusing on developmental and curatorial projects such as Charliewood New York and CHRISTEENE + PJ Raval artist residency featuring Justin Vivian Bond.
This program was made possible by a 2019 Janet Arnold Award from the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Tatsumi Hijikata Archives.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council as well as the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
