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EIKO ISHIOKA is a revolutionary artist whose internationally acclaimed work for stage, screen, advertising, and print media has made her one of the premiere visual artists of the 20th century. Best known as the Academy Award winner for costume design for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Eiko’s provocative and shockingly beautiful vision can be seen on August 18th in The Cell, starring Jennifer Lopez. Eiko’s long list of credits includes the 1985 Cannes Film Festival Award for Artistic Contribution for her production design of Paul Schrader’s film Mishima, a Tony nomination for the stage and costume design of the Broadway play "M. Butterfly," and a Grammy Award for the art work for Miles Davis’ "Tutu" album, to name just a few. Most recently, Eiko brought her creative sensibilities to bear on the conservative opera world with her costume design for Richard Wagner’s "Ring Cycle," at the Netherlands National Opera.
Eiko Ishioka was born in Tokyo and graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Her work is included in the permanent collection of museums throughout the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In1992 she was selected to be a member of the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. Q: How did you come to work on The Cell?
Q. What kind of design research is involved in preparing to design for a film like The Cell? A. First I read the script and analyzed each if the characters, and after having fully taken in Tarsem’s vision for the characters, began my design work. Aside from the special bodysuits the four main characters wear in the laboratory scene, I was in charge of the costumes for the fantasy sequences. When I began designing these costumes, I did not consult a single visual reference. I let my mind roam free and after a repeated process of trial and error, came up with some basic ideas. Only then did I use outside sources–videos, museum exhibits and books. Associate producer Nico Soultanakis was extremely helpful in the research process. Through his own vast network, sharp intellect and personal sense of style, he made available to me material that provided really useful visual hints in the design process. For me, however, outside visual references are always merely a trigger for my own original ideas, and the resulting costume bears no similarity to the reference material.
A. Since I was responsible for creating costume for the fantasy world in which the doctor that Jennifer Lopez plays and the serial killer that Vincent D’Onofrio plays interact, I had total freedom. You could say that the sources of inspiration I could draw from were literally limitless. There were no literal references to specific environments or time periods–I really had free reign to create whatever image of Diane Santos and King Stargher I wanted. The one thing Tarsem requested is that the world I created was operatic. As it happened, before sign on to The Cell, I was designing costumes for a European production of Richard Wagner’s "The Ring of the Nibelung." So when Tarsem said "operatic," there was no problem interpreting what he meant.
A. Both Dracula and The Cell are dark, sensual worlds; creating costumes suitable for that type of visual vocabulary was a key factor in guiding the design. My role on both of these films was not simply to create what a character would wear on the body, but to design how that character would appear as a whole–literally from head to toe. The reason I used rich textures and colors is to make each moment that an actor appears in one of my costumes unforgettable. Pulling off a unique design idea requires equally unique textures and colors.
A. My first impression after reading the script was that it was a collage of several existing films mixed together into a unique stew. The reason I signed on to the project was because I was interested to see how Tarsem would mix together these different ingredients. Tarsem and I also share a sense of trusting and relying heavily on visual expression. I was excited to see what our collaboration would be like.
A. Luckily, Tarsem and I agreed on almost all of the design ideas for the "specialty costumes," which I was in charge of, and I was really pleased with how all of them turned out. The only one that Tarsem didn’t approve right away and that I had some trouble with was the armor that Jennifer Lopez wears at the end of the film. I had to redesign this piece about three times. Her armor is quite unique. It has an open chest and neck area, and a translucent, wine colored skirt that lays over a hard, black sculpted torso piece made of leather. Usually armor in films is made of plastic but we wanted Jennifer’s costume to be more feminine and formfitting, so we opted for leather. After Tarsem approved the design, then the struggle to execute the piece began. Overall, I’d have to say that I was most satisfied with the outcome of the costume for the Stargher King. I really poured a lot into the development of that costume, and actor Vincent D’Onofrio’s great sense of collaboration helped fully realize the creative spirit in which I designed it. Q. Music videos are becoming more and more theatrical. You have an extensive background in various media including stage and graphic design. Have you ever considered designing for music videos? Do you see yourself working in that media in the future?
Q. What are your artistic goals for the future? Is there any project that you wish to do or particular person you wish to work with? A. If the request is from a director with the talent and courage to experiment and take risks with visual expression–people like Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Schrader and Tarsem–I’d like to continue doing production design and costume design. I’ve always been careful about choosing projects, and have only accepted ones that I truly wanted to do. In the future, I’d love to be able to strike a 50/50 balance between projects that I’m asked to do and those that I initiate myself. If I had the opportunity to direct and design films like "The Red Shoes" and "Kwaidan," I’d be very interested. Further Reading: Eiko’s work has been presented extensively in her monograph entitled Eiko by Eiko, which covers her lengthy artistic career as a creative and art director for print media. Be sure to check out her new book, which includes her work on The Cell, due out in October entitled Eiko on Stage from Calloway Editions.
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Eiko Ishioka
A. From what I’ve been told, when Tarsem first thought about creating a unique visual vocabulary for The Cell, the idea came up for me to do the costumes. I was sent the script and asked if I’d be interested in taking on the project. Having seen Tarsem’s work on music videos and commercials, I was very interested to see how he’d direct a feature film. We met, and I decided to come on board.
Q. What influences your work the most?
Q. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Cell, the costumes have a lot of texture, as well as rich colors. Would you say that these are trademarks of your work?
Q. What about this script enticed you to work on the project? How do you choose your projects?
Q. Did you have a design from the film that was your favorite? Could you tell us a little about the creation of it?
A. Yes, I directed a music video once. I was asked to create a music video that was to be used as a promotional piece for Panasonic’s high-definition television monitors. We shot the video using high-definition equipment and in keeping with Panasonic’s request, we used music from Pat Methany’s "Secret Story" album. I’d love to direct and design any music video that has the kind of budget that allows for something really unique. I find the marriage of music and visuals really exciting.