200 year old dress dances again

3 February 2004

Artist Jane Harris developed new methods of working with 3D Computer Graphic Animation while working on her Ph.D. at the Royal College of Art.

An artist and a museum curator have found an exciting new use for the digital technology that created Toy Story and Lara Croft. For the first time, computer film and games technology has been used to bring to life a fragile historic dress from the collection of the Museum of London, to see how it would have looked and moved when it was originally worn.

The results can be seen at the Museum from 4 February to 21 March 2004, when the dress and the 3D Computer Graphic animation will be on display side by side.

The dress is an elegant silk sack back dress, dating from c.1772, which would have been worn over wide side hoops. The animation not only highlights the sweep of the folds, the sway of the skirt and the play of light on the fabric, but also brings out the impact of the construction of the dress on the wearer’s movements.

In the 18th century, movement reflected status. There were rules for the correct movements for everything, from passing people in the street to drinking tea. People aspiring to move up the social scale would study books on etiquette, take lessons and practise the subtle nuances of stance and gesture.

Working with Mike Dawson and Ruth Gibson methods of producing subtle and convincing simulations of textiles on screen have evolved. This technical know-how has been combined with research by museum curator Jenny Lister into undergarments, deportment and etiquette, to show how the dress might have looked with a living, breathing body inside it.

This extension of the creative possibilities of digital media will be welcomed by museums who, until now, have only been able mount static displays of costume.

There will be a PRIVATE VIEW of the installation on:

Tuesday 3 February 2004 from 4.30pm-6.30pm with an opportunity to meet the artist Jane Harris and curator Jenny Lister to discuss the project.

RSVP and Press Enquiries:

Marian Williams/Kirsten Monks
tel: 020 7814 5502/5511

The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) and VICON.

With thanks to Mike Dawson, Ruth Gibson, Bernd Kammerer, Rebecca Reicher and Jenny Lister.