Costume Design 

Vadym Meller’s costume design uses watercolor and ink to bring a theatrical figure to life on paper. The processes here are those of traditional illustration, but Meller’s sharp, geometric style pulls from the aesthetics of Constructivism and Cubism. The design seems to minimize the physical labor of needlework or tailoring, suggesting a world of pure form and fantasy. Yet the very purpose of a costume design is to guide the work of skilled dressmakers. The rendering has to be precise enough to communicate the cut and material of each element, from the cape to the stockings. This drawing, then, points to a division of creative labor. Meller makes the concept, and others realize it. It’s a reminder that even seemingly spontaneous artworks often rely on extensive networks of skilled production. By recognizing this, we see how the worlds of fine art and craft are always intertwined.