Designing for Performance, Fine Art Photography, Dramaturgy.
I use movement theory, choreography, and costume design to create characters that tell stories.
These pieces are grounded in nature and natural processes. These works are built with silk and with fire and with stone.
Client - Anilah
Visualizer for “The Loom” by Anilah. Designed, shot, and edited footage to illustrate a dreamlike narrative depicting the themes of the song. Designs were developed reference northern European mythology without specifically tying itself to any one culture, story, or character. Movement and staging were heavily stylized to impart a feeling of unreality and ritual.
Costume Design, Staging, Choreography, Performance, Footage (Norway), Editing by Meta Pierce
Footage and fire safety, Props, Effects by Allen Moore and Frederik Scholpp
Dance
Movement is character. I adapt my technique and change my gaze to give every performance a specific, intentional character.
My experience as a professional dancer (four years on the professional circuit in Atlanta, GA) and post-bac work in movement theory and dramaturgy (Headlong Performance Institute) provided the testing grounds for developing a unique approach to performance. I researched and compiled references ranging from African mask dances to Art Nouveau. I source antique metalwork from around the world and elaborate on their history as artifacts to integrate them into costume designs.
Photography
An irregular bronze patina on one Ottoman Empire pendant combines with sea glass and apatite to create a weathered, marine sensibility. This is paired in some instances with more explicit dance costuming for performance, and in others with lighter, delicate fabrics that balance the heavier shaping with the feeling of mist and foam.
With “Circe”, I build a character look with more specific ties to Classical themes of mythological characters. This project takes the refined language of Art Nouveau headdresses and uses heavier and older materials like bronze to create a sense of “historical” or “ancient”. This is used to suggest that this character represents an older iteration/tradition of the aesthetic that will eventually be refined into its more delicate modern form.
In the “Peridot” series, I lean heavily into the Art Nouveau aesthetic and use lighter, more elegant shapes to create a classic, timeless look for a gallery show.
"Autumn Sunset I" - Sam Seder & Meta Pierce
"Circe" - Terence Tuhinanshu & Meta Pierce
"Peridot I" - Institute For Fashion Media
"Autumn Sunset IV" - Sam Seder
"Summer" - Allen Moore & Meta Pierce
"Autumn Sunset II" - Sam Seder
"Selene" - Allen Moore
"Headdress modeling - Silver / Pearl" - Allen Moore
"Peridot II" - Institute For Fashion Media
"The Gorge" - Terence Tuhinanshu & Meta Pierce
"Autumn Sunset III" - Sam Seder
Headdress Modeling - Aquamarine / Citrine
Extremely accurate Elen of Ways costume and photoshoot. Please send all objections and complaints to Amina Otto atamina.otto@glasgow.ac.uk
More Amina-certified unbelievably historical Elen of Ways photography. Threats of excommunication should be sent to amina.otto@glasgow.ac.uk
"Peridot III" (gallery print on metal)- Institute For Fashion Media
"Apricot" - Aurumica and Meta Pierce