The Creation of the World Bird drawing of Costume 1923

Editor: Fernand Léger’s "The Creation of the World: Bird drawing of Costume," made with tempera in 1923, strikes me as wonderfully bizarre! It's so angular and colorful, not at all what I expect from a costume design. What's your take? Curator: Well, let's consider Léger's context. He embraced industrial materials and processes. Notice how he renders form: simplified, almost machine-like, right? Tempera allowed him flat, opaque color – devoid of illusionism. This deliberate choice mirrors the shift towards mass production and accessibility. Editor: So you're saying that the medium, tempera, contributes to his focus on flatness, which relates to ideas about industrial production? Curator: Exactly! And the “creation” alluded to in the title? Think beyond the biblical. It's about remaking art for a machine age. The “bird,” constructed from geometric shapes, suggests a mechanical object. Do you think this work elevates “low” costume design to high art by exploring these industrial themes? Editor: Hmm, interesting point. It makes me wonder if his use of simple shapes and bold color democratizes the artistic process by making it less about skill and more about ideas related to society and its mode of production. Curator: Precisely. Léger, through his materials and depiction, challenged traditional hierarchies separating fine art from everyday design and production. Editor: That makes me look at the piece quite differently. Seeing it less as a literal costume design and more as a statement about the materials and the making process of art is a really cool idea. Curator: Indeed. By emphasizing materials and production, Léger urged viewers to reconsider art’s role within a rapidly changing, industrialized world.