PUNKTALE is a visual story inspired by Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. It reimagines the classical play in a dystopian setting where comedy is reflected through the lens of punk chaos.
The idea of doing a punk interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream came to me while reading about Northrop Frye's theory of "green world" - a temporary escape from rule-regulated life that can influence and change character behavior. In case of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the "green world" is represented by the fae forest, where rules are thrown out of the window, contrasting with structured rigidity of the city of Athens.
Hippolyta and Theseus having a dramatic dispute in a tunnel | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018.
I had just visited some abandoned tunnels in Virginia, whose decaying walls overtaken by moss and vines got me thinking of the conflict between nature and manufacture and how it's similar to the conflict between the fairies and the Athenians in the play, which also reminded me of the way counter-cultures defy authority.
Punktale is my interpretation of the story that attempts to weave together the themes of conflict between nature and industry, chaos and order, the lightness of comedy and the grittiness of drama.
Wilkes St tunnel in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia | Photographed by me A.K.
My visual research board for Punktale, showing references to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night Dream and the punk movement (top), with material exploration and concept sketching (bottom) | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Drawing from the post-apocalyptic aesthetic of the Mad Max franchise and the visual art of the eco-punk movement, I designed the dystopian versions of the Midsummer characters with costumes made from trash bags, plastic bottle caps and random trash objects, as if found by these characters existing in a dystopian dream universe where resources are scarce and used as decoration in an almost-tribal fashion.
The final product of this project is a short video (made to resemble a trailer to a feature movie) showcasing the main characters in their costumes.
Oberon's costume made from fabric scraps and painted plastic cups | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Theseus concept | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
"Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword..." | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Hippolyta the Queen of the Amazons | | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Hyppolyta's back, | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Punktale characters lineup, markers on paper, A. K. 2018
Contemplative Theseus | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Theseus | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Punktale site concept photography, AK 2018
Oberon the Fairy king | PUNKTALE 2018
Titania the Fairy Queen | PUNKTALE 2018
Oberon and Titania in Punktale, AK 2018
Titania the Queen of fairies and Moth in Punktale, AK 2018
Titania's wings, wire, upcycled lace and wool roving, design and construction by AK, 2018
Titania's wings, wire, upcycled lace and wool roving, design and construction by AK, 2018
Oberon's headdress, upcycled stockings, yarn, painted condiment cups, wire; design and construction by AK, 2018
Oberon's headdress, upcycled stockings, yarn, painted condiment cups, wire; design and construction by AK, 2018
Close-up of rust-dyed dress for Titania | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
Hippolyta's costume incorporates cross-stitched trash bags and painted bottle caps | PUNKTALE by A.K. 2018
