Liturgy, The Seraph's costume 1914

This costume design for ‘Liturgy: The Seraph’ by Natalia Goncharova plays with bold form and shape; like collage or mosaic, the wings use many strips of yellow, each delineated with delicate lines. You can really see the hand of the artist in the application. There’s a real sense of materiality in this piece; the opaque colors and distinct shapes create a tactile surface. The geometric patterns and stylized figures are a nod to religious iconography, but the overall effect is surprisingly modern. The black triangles on the costume are so interesting against the rows of yellow strips, they create a feeling of disquiet that is at odds with the peaceful symmetry of the Seraphim. Goncharova’s work is a conversation across time; like the Futurists, she embraced speed and dynamism, but she also looked back to Russian folk art and religious traditions. In that spirit, her work invites us to keep the conversation going.