The Cult by Rebecca Eland

THE OFFICIAL PROPOSAL REBECCA ELAND | DE0925

The official proposal and creative strategy for experiential exhibition, The Cult. To be held at the Tate Modern between the 17th June and the 17th August 2014. This document outlines the target audience, exhibition layout and promotional material which will accompany it.

RESEARCH & INSPIRATION SUMMARY

CONCEPT PROPOSAL

Concept Proposal

Rebecca Eland

The Cult

This summer, the Tate Modern welcomes you to join THE CULT

Sponsored by

Concept Proposal

Rebecca Eland

The Cult

The key theme of The Cult is primarily fashion and the fantasy of how the industry has almost created a cult of its own. The fashion elements of the exhibition will be brought in very subtly amongst the 60’s and 70’s elements, featuring original designs by Courréges and Mary Quant as well as S/S 13 designs from various Fashion Houses. All the “hypnosis” visuals will be taken from fabric prints and designs and then digitalised. The extracts of sound and music throughout the exhibition are drawn from original soundtracks and records with a relevance to the theme. Fashion images of the late Hollywood model and actress Sharon Tate, wife of Roman Polanski and victim of the Manson murders, will be prominent and reiterate the possible horrifying consequences of involvement in a cult.

Cult and cult content films such as Rosemary’s Baby, Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Wickerman have also been a big influence on the creation of the exhibition. The idea to explore all forms of cultish behaviour including those not from the 60’s and 70’s are key in the exhibition’s development. Paganism, symbolism and religious sects will also be explored because of the themes of power, worship and idolism that accompany them. The logo and image for the exhibition will be created from this aspect. There will be a symbol to represent The Cult, which will be branded onto the cover of the book to accompany the exhibition as well as bags, cushions and jewellery, which might be sold in the gift shop. The exhibition will be both arresting and controversial in its content however it will be careful to avoid vulgarity. It will be a vivid and interactive experience for the adult viewer, specifically those with both an interest in the fashion industry and fascination for the 60’s hippie and cult scene.

THE CULT CORE TARGET AUDIENCE

Someone with a deep interest and knowledge in the fashion industry. They would be more of an intellectual, somebody knowledgable about history, arts and culture therefore the exhibition would have a deeper meaning to them. They would be someone who enjoys travelling and is always up to date on the latest and most innovative exhibitions. Career wise they might be a stylist, photographer, writer, artists or involved in the creative industry. They will hear about the exhibition because they live for this kind of thing.

THE CULT EXPANDING TARGET AUDIENCE

Someone with an interest in fashion and art but it is not necassarily a life-style to them. They would not travel specifically to the exhibition, however, they might be in London on a trip or heard about it from a friend. Alternatively they might have stumbled across the exhibition through just coming to the Tate Modern by chance. They could be students, families, couples or foreigners. Anyone who would not have great expectations or knowledge of what the exhibition involves.

THE TATE MODERN

Room 4. The Cult

THE THIRD FLOOR Room 3. The Sacrifice

Exit

Room 5.

Entrance

The Swing

Room 2.

Room 1.

The Trip

The Consequence

THE CULT is a maze of experiential rooms designed to allow the visitor an insight into the era of the 60’s/70’s cult. You begin in Room 1: The Swing where you see how music, fashion and lifestyle in the 60’s and 70’s changed people’s perceptions on life and values. Room 2: The Trip offers the visitor the chance to experience a trippy, LSD initiated journey down a tunnel. Digitalised original prints from 60’s/70’s fashion designs create the psychedelic space. From the tunnel you enter Room 3: The Sacrifice where you are surrounded by projections of models in Mary Quant and Courreges, who appear to be in a trance, circling you. When you reach the centre of the circular room the models stop and all turn to face you. Once the ritual is complete you continue to Room 4: The Cult where there are peepholes along the wall through which are played different clips of “fashion rituals and gatherings” occurring. At the end of the room is the “fashion bible” encased in a glass box. There is a big screen on the back wall repeatedly playing the beginning of Captain’s Murphy’s video for Disciples, asking the audience “do you want to become a Cult leader?” for people who consider you god and “will kill for you”. The final room, The Consequence is set up as a shrine for the late Hollywood movie star Sharon Tate, murdered by the Manson Family. This illustrates the damaging effects of Cults and ends the exhibition on an eerie note.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

This summer, the Tate Modern welcomes you to join THE CULT

Sponsored by

The Cult is an interactive and experiential exhibition delving into the psychedelic world of the 60’s and 70’s cult era, examining the terrifying reality of the power a single concept or being can have over a mass audience. The exhibition draws research and inspiration from real life 60’s cults such as The Manson Family, Source Family and Family international as well as the concepts of dictatorship and megalomania. Sponsored by The British Fashion Council, The Cult exhibition extracts elements from genuine cults and rituals and adopt them to the concept of the “fashion cult”. The audience enters a maze of rooms that will initially induce a feeling of 60’s/70’s nostalgia in a positive light- the era of free love, peace and great music. As the viewer continues through the rooms the LSD scene is introduced to them, demonstrating how easy it is to influence the mind when drugs are brought into the equation. They are slowly introduced into the “fashion” cult. This involves being branded, ritualised and accepted into the cult. The exhibition marks the Tate Modern’s debut experiential exhibition, branching into a new target audience of both the fashionable and younger. It is extremely sensory with flashing lights and projected visuals helping to add to the atmosphere. The journey from the light hearted and colourful first few rooms into the dark, eerie and uncomfortable end of the exhibition is arresting and memorable. The exhibition is £14.00 entry with donations welcome. Due to its adult content it is advised that children under the age of 16 are accompanied by an adult.

STORYBOARD & EXHIBITION NARRATIVE

ROOM 1- THE SWING

THE SWING initiates your journey into the era of the 60’s Cult. A bright and vibrant vibe fills the open room with The Doors playing on vinyl and pink and purple lighting hues creating a 60’s/70’s Californian ambience. You are in the Swing of a new movement and surrounded by original Mary Quant and Courreges designs and photography as well as elements of the hippy and free-love lifestyle. The room demonstrates how exciting and enthralling this period in history was and gives the you an understanding as to why the concept of The Cult was born out of it. There are two exits from the room, one which offers a trippy, “LSD induced” experience and another which allows the audience to avoid the tunnel which is not advised for those adverse to flashing lights.

ROOM 2- THE TRIP

THE TRIP is an optional space designed to give the audience an idea of what it could be like to actually walk through a kaleidoscope. The kaleidscope has been created from digitalising a 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, psychadelic print design which spins on the walls as if you are on an LSD trip. At the end of the tunnel is a bright, white door, behind which symbolises what could have been your future had you taken drugs recreationally during the era.

ROOM 3- THE SACRIFICE

THE SACRIFICE is a clinical feeling, circular room where you become initiated into The Cult. Around the walls are holograms or projections of models wearing original 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designs. They appear to be in a trance and are circling the room until you reach the centre of the circle. Once you are stood under the centre spot the models pause and turn to stare at you. The room is uneasy and creepy but the audience is allowed to move through quickly and follow the neon signs directing them to The Cult itself. Through all the previous spaces the lighting in the exhibition has been bright and colourful. This white room marks the start of a change in atmosphere as the exhibtion grows darker in correspondence with the narrative.

ROOM 4- THE CULT

THE CULT room marks a change in atmosphere in the whole exhibition. The room is white but darkened, with spotlights round the edges. In the centre is a white stand which hosts The Fashion Bible- The Cult’s quide. This is the first element of what is the “fashion cult”. On the back wall is a large screen which replays the beginning of Captain Murphy’s video for “The Ritual”. The screen is flickering and the man repeatedly asks the audience “Don’t you want devoted followers ... who will kill for you”. On the surrounding walls are peep holes which the audience is asked to look through. Behind the holes are vido recordings of The Cult activities some of which involves ritualisations of fashion tribes and examples of how fashion might be considered a cult itself. Despite appearing quite visually simplistic this room offers the audience a great sense of unease when attention is payed to each installation.

ROOM 5- THE CONSEQUENCE

THE CONSEQUENCE is the final space of the exhibition. It is a dark room, lit only by a large array of electronic pillar candles which litter the floors, leaving a walk way for the audience. It is essentially a shrine to the late Sharon Tate, murdered by the Manson Family Cult and the inspiration behind the exhibition. The room leaves the viewer with a very dark and sombre feeling and the realisation that Cultish behaviour can have devastating consequences. Importantly it also reflects on and remembers the life of the beautiful actress Sharon Tate who was murdered 9 months into her pregnancy. The

door

the

end

leads

the

audience

out

the

exhibition.

PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

ON LOCATION- THE TATE

THE GIFT SHOP The Tate Modern gift shop will include a stand in which the official book to accompany the exhibition, symbolic necklaces, posters, postcards and other books coveting the 60’s and 70’s era will be displayed. On the glass wall behind will be an image of the model on the promotional material, painted in a fluorescent style. The book “The Cult” will be exclusively sold in this shop and retails for £24.99. It covers the key themes behind the exhibition including real cults, the free love era and fashion and music at the time.

POSTERS, LEAFLET & MERCHANDISE

THE LEAFLET The leaflet for The Cult will be extremely bold and arresting in its design with the psychedelic black and white print, pink logo and fashion image on the inside. The leaflet is free of charge and will contain information about the curation and inspiration behind the exhibition, as well as a detailed map of the space with descriptions behind each room. The leaflet will be given to guests on arrival at the exhibition but can also be found, to take, at other tourist attractions throughout London.

THE CULT- EVALUATION On receiving the brief for this module I was initially very excited and eager to begin. I had developed a strong interest and knowledge around the 60’s and 70’s California era and particularly on the subject of cults. From the outset I knew that I wanted to incorporate this concept into my exhibition, as it’s something I have a strong interest in and therefore am passionate about. Researching into real life cults and cults in the media was fascinating and involved a lot of documentary and film watching. From cult films such as Rosemary’s Baby to the Manson Family murders it all fed my intrigue and hunger for knowledge on the topic. I looked at fashion, music, symbolism, paganism and rituality within this and largely inspired by an installation I had seen years ago at the Tate Britain, Mike Nelson’s The Coral Reef, my exhibition began to take form. Location wise I wanted a place that would really act as a blank canvas, somewhere I would be able to come in to and create a space within a space. Despite the fact that the Tate Modern has never hosted this type of experiential, fashion exhibition before I really felt like this was the right space for The Cult. I decided the exhibition would be sponsored by The British Fashion Council and would therefore open new doors for the Tate Modern, bringing in a wider audience with a deeper interest in history and fashion. Within my exhibition there are five rooms designed to take the audience through the stages of initiation into a cult of the 60’s/70’s era. The mood drastically changes throughout, starting off bright and colourful and descending into darkness and tragedy. It is eerie and arresting, making it an attraction that will leave a lasting impression. I found creating the Photoshop images fun but difficult to an extent with some of the more abstract and conceptual spaces in the exhibition. Very early on in the project I organised a photo-shoot for the promotional aspect of my exhibition, which I feel has really given it a sense of realism and made it my own. I then used these images across various promotional platforms such as posters and on the Tate Modern website. Ultimately I feel that the passion and thirst for knowledge I have for the subject matter has led my project to success. Without this, I doubt I would have enjoyed it so much and wanted to spend more time on it than I had. I have spent my childhood visiting art exhibitions with my artist father and never really understood how I could fit into that aspect of the industry. Now I feel that exhibition curation, whether in art of fashion, is a serious option for me career wise. It has given me the chance to explore my creativity and conceptual skills but maintain an element of realism and structure that I feel is demonstrated in the translation of the research in my sketchbook to my final official document.

WELCOME TO THE CULT