The Business Meeting of the Costume Design Group occurred on March, 17th, at Hotel Hilton, in Salt Lake City (Utah, USA), during USITT’s Annual Conference and was chaired by Simona Rybáková, Head of the OISTAT Costume Design Group, with the vice-heads Sofia Pantouvaki and Rosane Muniz.
Attendees
April Viczko (Canada)
Carl Walling (USA)
Christina Bullard (USA)
Colin Wintz (USA)
Cynthia Chiang, OISTAT Digital Marketing Officer (Taiwan)
Denitsa Bliznakova (Bulgaria)
Gini Vogel, Secretary of the CDG (USA)
Gregor Sturm (Germany)
Hyun Sook Kim (South Korea/ USA)
Igor Roussanoff (Russia/Ukraine/ USA)
Isabelle Parzyunat (USA)
Jeanette de Jong (USA)
Jerome Maecklebergh (Belgium)
Joe Pino (USA)
Jordyn Smiley (USA)
Juli Balázs (Hungary)
La Beene (USA)
Laura Crow (USA)
Margaret Mitchell, Webpages Director for CDG (USA)
Maria Jirásková (CZ)
Nic Ularu (Romania/ USA)
Nora Patricia Kovacs (Hungary)
Rosane Muniz, Vice Chair of the CDG (Brazil)
Sabrina Notarfransisco (Germany/ USA)
Sarah Oliver (USA)
Simona Rybáková, Chair of the CDG (CZ)
Sofia Pantouvaki, Vice Chair of the CDG (Greece/ Finland)
Teresa Snider-Stein (USA)
Viki Vanesek (USA)
Wan-Jung Wei, OISTAT General Manager (Taiwan)
Simona Rybáková opened the business meeting at 19:00, welcomed new participants, and announced the location and time for the CDG Presentations session on the next day, March 18 at 13:00, in Salt Palace Convention Center, room 252A.
Participants introduced themselves.
AGENDA ITEM 1: Meeting in the Philippines
Simona Rybáková explained that we received two invitations to meet in the Philippines; however, some members had difficulty with the first invitation because some nations have active travel advisories for the location of the proposed meeting. This invitation is now cancelled.
The second invitation is still under consideration because the location is in a more secure part of the Philippines. This invitation is for the World Costume Festival, but some details about the event at this time are unclear. We recognized that the invitation would be very good for some Asian members.
Laura Crow explained that the festival will take place on Oct 21-26, 2016. It will be a street festival with a competition. Laura Crow suggested the winner of the costume competition could be invited to come to WSD 2017 in Taiwan.
Nic Ularu clarified that there will be an international costume exhibition alongside the street festival. Simona Rybáková named Laura Crow programming director for CDG events at the World Costume Festival and Laura Crow accepted. Rybáková stated that we will put information on the website when we have more details about the event.
Laura Crow restated the festival will take place in the Northern Island, a safe part of the Philippines.
ACTION ITEMS
Laura Crow will receive and pass onto Simona Rybáková an official letter from the organizers. Simona Rybáková asked for detailed programming information from Laura Crow by April 15th, 2016.
Margaret Mitchell will put more detailed information on the CDG website.
Laura Crow will organize programming.
AGENDA ITEM 2: Costume at the Turn of the Century, 1990-2015 Exhibition, presented by Igor RoussanoffIgor
Igor Roussanoff stated the printed exhibition catalogue is over 400 pages and the exhibition is coming to the USA in Ashville, North Carolina on August 15 – September 28, 2016. In the spring of 2017 the exhibition may go to Beijing, China and to Lublin, Poland, but exact dates for the Beijing and Lublin tours are not known at this time.
The website for the exhibition thus far includes over 4000 images.
Simona Rybáková asked whether or not the USA exhibit had the same scope and size as the Moscow exhibit. Igor Roussanoff stated that all designs will be shown digitally but the scale of the actual exhibition is smaller for touring and that the scale will change due to budgets and spaces. He also said that soon there will be an opportunity for emerging designers (students and young graduates) to submit their work on an additional Call.
Sabrina Notarfrancisco stated there is a CDG Facebook page and encouraged new people to join.
Rosane Muniz reminded CDG members that designers in this Costume exhibition must be willing to have their information and images posted in catalogues, on the internet, and on all promotional materials. Designers must also relinquish total copyrights for the artwork and ensure and confirm copyright on behalf of the photographers and the related institutions. Igor Roussanoff explained that the exhibition is a way for designers to have their work promoted.
Igor Roussanoff announced he will do a presentation on the exhibition Sat., March 19 at 2:00PM room 254A; Igor Roussanoff will also do a presentation on design in the Ukraine 8:00 AM Sat.
ACTION ITEMS
Designers should apply to have their work exhibited. Designers may apply at <www.worldcostumedesign.com>
Igor Roussanoff will communicate a detailed touring schedule.
Margaret Mitchell will place the touring schedule on the website.
AGENDA ITEM 3: Digital Theatre Words (DTW), presented by Jerome Maeckelbergh
Jerome Maeckelbergh introduced the DTW project for the newcomers. Twenty-three languages have finalized costume terms. The costume section of DTW only has 145 terms, and he asked for more terms. Jerome Maeckelbergh stated that his colleague Tina Matulessy provided him with 5,000 additional possible costume and textile terms for DTW. Jerome Maeckelbergh placed the terms in an excel file and asked for a small group of two or three CDG members to look over the excel spreadsheet and determine and prioritize which of the terms would be appropriate for the DTW project.
Wan-Jung Wei stated that OISTAT has an app for DTW and she asked for people to download the app to investigate the project.
Jerome Maeckelbergh suggested one must download the full free application on a computer to see how the project functions.
Simona Rybáková asked for volunteers to contact Jerome Maeckelbergh.
ACTION ITEM
Volunteers should contact Jerome Maeckelbergh and study and evaluate the new list.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The Dark Night
Jerome Maeckelbergh announced that an important and beloved OISTAT meeting place, his 16th century home in Antwerp, The Dark Night, will be sold by the beginning of 2018. An audible gasp was heard in the room. Jerome Maeckelbergh invited all members of the CDG to visit (not all at once) before he and Christa sell The Dark Night. The Dark Night has been an important OISTAT location because Jerome Maeckelbergh and Christa have provided an inexpensive place for OISTAT members to have meetings. Some of the early meetings of the CDG were held in The Dark Night, so it is important to our history.
Nic Ularu proposed that OISTAT members purchase The Dark Night as a time share. :-)
Jerome Maeckelbergh and Christa were thanked for their hospitality for the past twenty years.
AGENDA ITEM 4: World Stage Design (WSD) programming in Taipei, Taiwan
Simona Rybáková asked Sofia Pantouvaki to discuss past programming structures for WSD.
Sofia Pantouvaki informed the CDG about the program Costume in Action that was held at WSD 2013 in Cardiff. The artistic director of WSD 2013, Sean Crowley, invited Donatella Barbieri, who subsequently proposed to Sofia Pantouvaki to co-curate the activities. The program ran for the entire 10 days of WSD 2013, and included workshops, master classes and talks/panel sessions. Design professionals and scholars were invited to present; among them, several CDG members made presentations and led workshops. The CDG organized the program for a full day, which comprised a tour of the Fashion Museum in Bath and a panel session with presentations in Bath. The CDG also organized a Pecha Kucha session entitled Shakespeare at the Sewing Machine where designers (members of CDG), presented costume work related to Shakespeare’s plays.
For the upcoming WSD in Taipei, the artistic director has invited OISTAT to propose programming and now we have an active and direct role in programming. Sofia Pantouvaki asked if our own members could do talks, workshops, and master classes, as well as propose other ideas for the program.
Simona Rybáková asked that we consider and discuss programming ideas and some joint projects with other working groups or commissions.
Laura Crow asked Wan-Jung Wei about working with indigenous groups in Taiwan. This idea had been discussed between CDG and OISTAT in the past. Wan-Jung Wei stated that indigenous collaboration could happen in 2018; in 2017 they will be hosting WSD; however, she was uncertain about whether or not such an activity could be a part of WSD.
Wan-Jung Wei stated she will investigate the timing and possibilities. It was suggested this program could be just after WSD as a side program. Simona Rybáková stated that she has no invitation for this project.
Sarah Oliver asked about a side program relating to traditional weaving and dying arts in Okinawa. Sarah Oliver stated it would be easy to bring someone to Taiwan or it would be easy for the CDG members to fly to the Okinawan Islands. Each island has its own weaving and textile tradition. Sarah Oliver lived in Okinawa and is familiar with the area and the culture. Sarah Oliver agreed to write a proposal and send it to Simona Rybáková.
Nic Ularu asked about a new theatre complex near Taipei and suggested a field trip. Simona Rybáková stated a visit to the building will be part of the architecture programming.
Simona Rybáková stated that we must plan in advance so people can get funding for WSD and for PQ 2019. As WSD is also hosting the OISTAT congress, there will be probably an official invitation for each commission and group, but individuals who want to come to WSD have to find their own funding.
Simona Rybáková and Sofia Pantouvaki asked Wan-Jung Wei if there will be space at WSD 2017 for hands-on projects and holding workshops. Wan-Jung Wei confirmed workshop space will be available, and Rosane Muniz reminded the CDG that Scenofest will also be at WSD.
Nic Ularu asked for some practical workshops. Simona Rybáková asked the CDG for ideas and proposals. Sofia Pantouvaki said that it would be nice to invite presenters from industry, as happened in WSD 2013, but there is no information on the possibility of funding this in WSD 2017. She also explained that the artistic director of WSD 2017 said the previous day (at the WSD 2017 presentation session) that he did not yet have any specific information on the possibility of funding program activities.
Simona Rybáková stated that the CDG members often do not have time and space to present their own work at the meetings; she would like to give more attention for us to present our own work.
April Viczko suggested a cross disciplinary panel. She agreed to write a proposal.
Simona Rybáková suggested students would be very interested in film industry designers. Wan-Jung Wei informed the CDG that there is no film industry in Taiwan, but students might be very interested in these presentations. CDG members suggested also Indian/Bollywood presenters might be of interest.
Joe Pino suggested a collaboration of making sound suits and conducting a multi-day workshop for students at WSD 2017. Inviting Nick Cave was suggested. Sarah Oliver knows how to approach Cave through a common friend. Simona Rybáková informed the CDG that Cave had been approached as a guest for PQ 2011 but he was very busy and expensive. Sofia Pantouvaki informed the CDG that Aalto University is planning a course in sound and costume in spring 2017, in collaboration with the Sound Program of the Theatre Academy Helsinki (also members of OISTAT), which they are thinking of developing as a workshop for WSD 2017. Joe Pino was interested in discussing this option further. He will also discuss with his colleagues in the Sound Design Group.
Laura Crow asked if there would be a budget to bring Nick Cave. Wan-Jung did not know, but stated she would inquire about the budget issues in general.
Wan-Jung Wei stated that OISTAT and WSD organizers were having a meeting April 20-25, 2016 and she asked for general programming proposals by the time the meeting occurs in April. She emphasized proposals could be very general ideas at this point.
Sofia Pantouvaki introduced a preliminary proposal for WSD 2017. She shared her interest in costume and research on doctoral and post-doctoral level. She has been collecting information on PhD costume designers and researchers, and invited CDG to inform her about individuals doing a PhD in costume design. Sofia is currently leading a research project entitled Costume Methodologies for WSD 2017, she proposed a two-day seminar for doctoral students or MFA students, provisional title: Thinking Costume. She suggested this would be a development seminar, in which CDG members would take an active role as respondents to the emerging scholars’ subjects and approaches. She wishes to focus on the integration of theory and practice. She will write a proposal.
Laura Crow suggested a costume making workshop with found objects. Nic Ularu agreed to write a proposal.
Simona Rybáková set a deadline of April 15th, 2016 for general WSD programming proposals. Proposals should be sent to Simona Rybáková.
ACTION ITEMS
General proposals must be written by April 15th, 2016.
In sum (and in no particular order) the following ideas for WSD costume programing are:
| Responsible Person | Proposal |
| Nic Ularu | found objects costume workshop proposal |
| April Viczko | interdisciplinary panel session proposal |
| Joe Pino | Sound Design Group will create a proposal for collaboration with the CDG. The idea involves a workshop exploring sound costumes. |
| Sofia Pantouvaki | Two-day seminar: Thinking Costume (A collaboration of CDG with Aalto University Costume Methodologies project), theory and practice seminar proposal |
| Sarah Oliver | Weaving and textile arts in Okinawa proposal (as a side program after WSD) |
| Laura Crow | investigate the possibility of working with the indigenous people of Taipei (This could be a side program) |
| Simona Rybáková | CDG members and other professionals sharing their own work – panel proposal |
| No volunteer at this time | Bollywood/Indian film costume design |
AGENDA ITEM 5: Announcements
Igor Roussanoff wishes to continue the CTC exhibition and the museum in Moscow suggested 2019 for part two of the exhibition. Igor Roussanoff asked about timing of the new exhibition entitled “21st Century Costume Design: The New Generation”. Igor Roussanoff wants to see student work or the work of designers who began designing in the 21st century. Igor Roussanoff asked for new curators of the exhibition, and he will be artistic director and not a curator.
Sofia Pantouvaki announced information about the journal Studies in Costume and Performance, a new academic journal published in print and on line by Intellect Press, UK. It is a biannual journal for which two of the three Co-Editors are from CDG (Donatella Barbieri and Sofia Pantouvaki) and other CDG members are in the Advisory and Editorial Boards. Sofia Pantouvaki asked for future article submissions. The editors also accept reflections and visual essays. The word count for articles is 6000-8000 words. Reflections are expected to be about 1500 words. Detailed information is available at the journal website.
Simona Rybáková closed the meeting 8:20 PM.
Minutes recorded by Margaret Mitchell and revised by Simona Rybáková, Sofia Pantouvaki and Rosane Muniz.
Download the Minutes in PDF
