Uta Bekaia & Ideal Glass NY present a multimedia show 'The Purple Jester'

Please introduce yourself to our readers. (Who are you, where do you come from and what is your field of specialization?)

I’m Uta Bekaia, a designer and multimedia artist interested in exploring art wear, clothing as sculpture, performance and based in New York City. I’m going to be present at ‘FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2013’ with project ‘The Purple Jester’, a multimedia performance created by me and our creative group, Ideal Glass NY.

What inspires you in general?
I get inspired with life indeed. Every day I find inspirations around me.

Where are you based?
New York City, US.

What is it like to be a young designer in your city/country?
I think it’s very hard.

What place/city do you find inspiring?
I would say, New York City.

What is the concept behind your latest collection/creation?
‘The Purple Jester’ continues our exploration of the concept of living art-wear. This cross-media performance art project is inspired by medieval European art. The goal is to create a futuristic vision of the art of Hieronymus Bosch, merging historic design concepts with contemporary materials, including production techniques that employ recycled textiles. The show will be presented in an interactive, multi-media live performance environment. Played by performance artist, Willard Morgan, the Purple Jester finds himself traveling through space and time on a quest for romantic fulfillment in a series of seven dream landscapes. Each dream confronts the Jester with an immersive installation in which he must negotiate phantasmagoric manifestations of human realities, including hunger, war, gossip, and sexual desire. ‘The Purple Jester’ transcends conflict through the strategic implementation of humorous acts.

Describe your collection/creation in three words
Medieval, colorful, otherworldly

Did you always wanted to work in the field of fashion?
Honestly I end up in fashion design by chance, while I do see myself more as multimedia artist at this point of my life.

Do you have a muse? If yes, who is it and why?
Leigh Bowery, I think, because he is one of the kinds.

Who is your favorite fashion designer?
Alexander McQueen

What is so far your greatest experience in your 'fashion' career?
The first show I had when I was 17, at Avant-garde fashion week in Tbilisi, Georgia where I come from. That show together with the success of it was a base for my development as designer, artist and course of my life.

What made you smile today?
Spring in New York City

What is the latest thing you bought for yourself?
Vintage 1960’s shoes from this fantastic thrift shop in Bushwick (Brooklyn)

What can we expect from you in the future?
Multimedia projects, involving every aspect of art

How did you come up with the idea to start the cross-media fashion and performance art projects?
With every day inspirations from outside world, this particular show ‘The Purple Jester’ is inspired by art of Hieronymus Bosch.

How do you define the boundary or link between fictional and real, and in which way do you try to link them?
With my art, I’m trying to unify reality and fictional visions, and to highlight the thin layer between these two words.

What kinds of multiple media as production techniques will you employ in ‘The Purple Jester’ and what are different roles of them respectively for this project?
This avant-garde fashion performance will involve interactive video, installations and a new take on live sound inspired by medieval music.

Your creations were once compared with Alexander McQueen’s former works in a positive way, so how does this make you feel?
It makes me feel blessed, Alexander McQueen is a king of vision for me, and so it’s an honor.


Credits
Photographer: Ayakamay (http://ayakamay.com/)
Websites: http://utabekaia.com/
                http://idealglass.org/