Marina Abramović, the internationally renowned Serbian performance artist introduced the dress designed by Dóra Abodi, a designer of Transylvanian origin, entitled Kalotaszeg gyásza (Mourning of Kalotaszeg). The multidisciplinary project features Abramović wearing a creation inspired by the traditional Kalotaszeg dress and was captured by Hungarian photographer Szilveszter Makó.
The dress, embellished with silk thread embroidery and pearl decorations, features a double black vest with a rough, raw hemp lining and a velvet exterior. The underskirt is a three-layer, matte black piece decorated with tassels, with two additional layers draped over it: a pleated apron and an overskirt. These elements are also richly decorated with silk embroidery and beads. The outfit is complemented by a white cotton shirt, which, in the designer's words, is “simple and puritanical in origin, derived from traditional mourning attire, yet carries multiple layers of meaning through its embroidery.”
Marina Abramović is one of the most influential and defining figures in contemporary performance art. Her work is known for its radical honesty and physical and mental intensity, in which she often uses her own body as a medium, as she does in this case.
Dóra Abodi owns the ABODI Transylvania brand. She is a fashion designer from Cluj-Napoca who lives in the US and is known for her surreal, often abstract designs inspired by Transylvanian legends. She often draws inspiration from local folklore and mythology. Last year, one of her creations graced the Grammy's red carpet: she designed Jaden Smith's headpiece, inspired by the castle in Bran, known as Dracula's castle. Speaking about this in an interview, she said: "Transylvania has a very interesting, unique atmosphere that you can't find anywhere else. It is shrouded in mystery and surrounded by countless old tales, stories, legends and beliefs." It is this atmosphere that she strives to capture and convey in her work.
Photographer Szilveszter Makó is currently also working in the US, where he has taken portraits of several celebrities, including Rama Duwaji, the wife of the recently elected mayor of New York. He also created a series of portraits of Abramović, which includes the one featuring Abodi's creation.
The photographer and Abodi have collaborated before, including on the creation of the aforementioned headdress, and most recently on the presentation of her new collection, which includes pieces inspired by Hungarian folklore, such as Tündér Ilona (Fairy Ilona) and a creation evoking the legend of Erzsébet Báthory.
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