Cloakroom, a performance by Tilda Swinton and Olivier Saillard at Pitti Uomo in Florence. Text by Eugene Rabkin, photos by Giovanni Gianonni

Dear Diane and Shaded Viewers,

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending Cloakroom, a performance by Tilda Swinton and Olivier Saillard at Pitti Uomo in Florence. It was an interactive show, in which Swinton played a coatcheck attendant, checking in garments from the audience. Obviously, it did not take me long to get in line. The first picture is of Swinton examining my vest.

I did not read the performance notes on purpose because I wanted to get a personal perspective on it, since a pantomime always leaves more room for imagination.

What struck me first is how your garment, an intimate object closest to your body, is transformed when someone else gets a hold of it. It was exciting and a little unsettling, a piece of your privacy scrutinized by a stranger.

The other aspect of the performance was a glimpse into the life of another person. Who is this coat check girl? What are her fears? Who are her lovers? What does she do when she comes home?

Oh, and about my vest – needless to say, I will never wash it again.

 

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