The Conference of the Birds stage version by Jean-Claude Carrière and Peter Brook is based on a Persian poem by Sufi poet Farid-ud-din Attar. This poem was originally composed in the twelfth century in north-eastern Iran and is widely regarded as significant contribution to Persian literature. This is where I began to find inspiration for my design, delving deeper into the history of the poem as well as the history of the setting. I discovered a wonderful image highlighting the terrain of Iran and this became the world I was setting my design in.

Taking inspiration from the mythology of the Simurgh (also spelled Simoorg, Simorq, Simourv, Simorgh, or Simorg; means thirty birds in the Persian language; ’si’ representing thirty and ‘murgh’ meaning birds). I began delving into the connections it had with other cultures that were in the same continent. This led to the connection to the Fenghuang (mythological birds found in Sinospheric mythology that reign over all other birds) and relation to asian culture; the tales and mythology between the two hold some similar parallels. The quest for knowledge, cultivation, and even the prospect of immortality. Within this research I decided on my concept following a more historical silhouette from the Tang Dynasty in Asia. The Tang Dynasty within Asia was known as a rather progressive time in Asia’s history. Foreign trade was more readily developed and thus exchanges of culture as well as arts, and goods became more readily available. It also marked a change in the clothing common to that time period, allowing for more expression through clothing and a more open minded attitude as well. As well as being known for a more casual artistic style, while incorporating different motifs and patterns.

The colors and motifs for the bird characters was taken directly from the species of birds I researched. Each birds color palette relates directly to fletchings of the bird they are inspired by, while the motifs and patterns on the costumes come from each birds habitat (the geographic location they originate from and the cultures that coexist there). The main common thread I am using to keep the birds collected is the saturation and depth of color used within each bird as well as an overarching use of a specific bright metallic gold. Allowing them to have a separation and ephemeralness compared to the “human” characters within the play. The humans will be much more grounded in earth tones that are more muted than that of the birds, the one exception to this is the high ranking humans (ie. the three kings and two princesses). They will be the bridge in color between the lower class humans and the ephemeral birds, while restrained use of gold will be used, they will mainly have silver accents for their accessories.

Through the course of the play the birds go through many trials and tribulations together. Within a realized piece my hope would be to demonstrate this through the distressing of their garments. While the birds will open the show at their best, through the journey they would lose accessories and unnecessary garments such as cloaks and decorative elements. The culmination would be evident in the closing scene of the play where the birds have lost their excessive plumage and are revealed with simplified garments with slightly muted colors and slight distressing on them. This would be mirroring the secret that is revealed in the final scene, which is that the birds themselves are the embodiment of the divine and what they have been searching for has been within them the entire time.