My project Salomé is inspired by the play of the same name by Oscar Wilde. While reading the text, I became particularly interested in how the concept of the gaze permeates the narrative. Herod and the Young Syrian Captain are captivated by Salomé' s beauty and direct their gaze upon her, while Salomé herself becomes fixated on Jokanaan, the prophet, returning that gaze. Through these layered dynamics, Wilde constructs complex relationships and explores shifting power structures between the characters.
During the project, I researched Middle Eastern aesthetics and was especially drawn to the frequent use of eye-related motifs in historical artefacts, as well as the prevalence of nature-inspired ornamentation. I carefully developed the colour palette based both on the colours referenced in Wilde' s text and those observed in the artefacts I encountered through my research.
Red was the dominant colour in my project, as it' s repeatedly referenced throughout Wilde's original text. It' s also an intriguing colour: the colour of blood, it's the colour of blood, which associates it immediately with violence, as well as passion and love. In this context, no other colour could represent Salomé better: Her passion and cruelty are both innocent, arising instinctively from the primitive, animal nature within humanity.
In terms of materiality, silk was the sole material used throughout the project. Its softness, lightness, and transparency aligned closely with my interpretation of Salomé and my imagination of the 'Dance of The Seven Veils', allowing my design to evoke both delicacy and tension. All of the works were hand-dyed and made using silk-screen printing techniques.
