Letter 8 to Moûsai

Letter 8 to Moûsai is inspired by the writings of Franz Kafka, particularly the letter “Dearest Father.” Wanting to capture the harsh family dynamic of the Kafka home, the set was inspired by German Expressionist films such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari — exploring how Franz viewed his home as distorted, harsh and seemingly fleeting. The costume elements were inspired by the real-life occupation of Herman, Franz’s father, who owned a tailoring business in Prague. There was extensive exploration of the construction and deconstruction of garments in the process of tailoring and garment-making — designing a production and transforming found objects by adapting them to the design.