LCF24: Unveiling 'The Mind and The Heart': A Journey into Psychological Costume Design by Iren Aseo

The duality between the id (the heart) and superego (the mind) is central to your project. How did you approach depicting this internal struggle through costume?

In depicting the internal struggle between the id (the heart) and superego (the mind), for the superego, I have used an exaggerated female figure inspired by Victorian-era clothing which serves as a metaphor for societal expectations and constraints imposed on an individual, particularly within femininity through clothing during that era.

The Superego costume was designed to reflect both the elegance and the suffocating nature of these societal norms. Where on the other hand, the id costume was inspired by Victorian nightgowns where it was loose and something you would wear without a regard to a societal expectation.

Can you discuss any challenges you faced during the creation of your project, particularly in balancing narrative depth with visual aesthetics?

Initially, I have struggled the most with translating abstract psychological concepts into tangible visual representations through choices like silhouette of the costume, textures and symbolism which required a lot of experimentation. Ensuring that the visual elements effectively conveyed the underlying themes of internal struggles and emotional conflicts while trying to find a balance between subtlety and explicitness in their depiction was the most challenging part for me.

What led to your decision to use an exaggerated female figure in Victorian-era clothing, and how does this aesthetic contribute to the story you're telling?

The decision to use an exaggerated female figure in Victorian-era clothing was motivated by several factors; the Victorian era is known for its strict social norms and expectations, particularly regarding femininity and propriety. I thought using an evening dress with corsetry and a nightgown would be an allusion to this. By exaggerating these elements, I wanted to caricature these notions to emphasise the stark contrast between the characters.

The elaborate dresses and corsets of the Victorian era also symbolise both elegance and restriction, reflecting the tension between external appearances and internal struggles. This aesthetic contributes to the story by providing a visual language that viewers can interpret in relation to the themes of control, repression, and the desire for autonomy and freedom.

Symbols like the 'sun' for the superego and spider-like elements for 'the heart' are prominent in your work. Can you explain why you chose these symbols and their significance in your narrative?

Symbolism played a crucial role in visually representing this conflict. For instance, the 'sun' symbolises the superego with its illuminating wisdom and moral guidance, contrasting with spider-like elements associated with the heart (id), representing impulsivity, hidden fears, and the darker aspects of the self. Through these choices, I aimed to visually reflect the tension between rationality, emotion, control and desire.

Carl Jung's ideas about the shadow self and symbolism are apparent in your project, especially with the spiders. How did Jungian psychology influence your artistic choices?

Carl Jung's concept of the shadow self, which encompasses the darker and often repressed aspects of our personality, heavily influenced my artistic choices, particularly in the use of symbolism. The spiders in my project serve as a symbolic representation of the shadow self. They embody our hidden fears, desires, and unresolved conflicts that lurk beneath the surface of consciousness.