Hijikata, Mon Amour – Vangeline, The New York Butoh Institute

Visceral, Daring, Celestial. Hijikata’s legendary costume is a totem of sorts; it holds secrets of the avant-garde art form. Created in 2019 in celebration of Butoh’s 60th anniversary. An homage to founder of butoh Tatsumi Hijikata. Vangeline performs in an exact replica of Tatsumi Hijikata’s 1968 costume recreated by Todd Thomas. Much like Butoh itself, it was born at the confluence of East and West. This costume chronicles the evolution of postmodern art in Japan, and as such, deserved to be carefully studied, and thrown into the limelight once again. Thanks to a Janet Arnold Award of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a loan from the Tatsumi Hijikata Archives, Vangeline Theater/New York Butoh Institute researched how the costume was designed by recreating it. The costume was professionally photographed by Matthew Placeck.