Dressed to Act

Costume as Dramaturgical Engine

“Costume does not simply dress a body; it co-produces it—it is an event that reorganises how a body can appear and act.”

Long Read by Runa Borch Skolseg

23 Mar, 2026

Marvin M’Toumo: Rectum Crocodile. Photo by Pauline Scotto Di Cesare

Trajal Harrell, Judson Church is Ringing in Harlem (Made-to-Measure) / Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning at The Judson Church (M2M), The Kitchen New York, 2014. Photo by Paula Court

Trajal Harrell, Judson Church is Ringing in Harlem (Made-to-Measure) / Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning at The Judson Church (M2M), Danspace Project New York, 2012. Photo by Miana Jun

Trajal Harrell, Antigone Sr. Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning at The Judson Church (L), American Realness Festival, New York, 2013. Photo by Whitney Browne

Marvin M’Toumo: Rectum Crocodile. Photo by Albane Durand-Viel

Marvin M’Toumo: Rectum Crocodile. Photos by Albane Durand-Viel

Fredrik Floen:…on the lips of living men. Photos by Rumi Baumann

Fredrik Floen:…on the lips of living men. Photo by Rumi Baumann

Soa Ratsifandrihana: Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna. Photo by Harilay Rabenjamina

Thibault Lac: Blue Roses. Photo by Julie Folly


Darius Dolatyari-Dolatdoust: Fine Flowers. Photo by Darius Dolatyari-Dolatdoust

Leila Hekmat: Gloriette. Photos by Amely Sommer

Florentina Holzinger: Apollon. Photo by Radovan Dranga

Davi Pontes and Wallace Ferreira: Repertório N.1. Photo by Genevieve Reese

Long Read23 Mar, 2026