Thomas Hardy Exhibition

Winning Pitch
Installation Live at Dorset Museum from June - November 2022.

As a final project at AUB, I had the opportunity to design and build a set installation based on a scene from Thomas Hardy's novels to be displayed in the Wessex Museums. For this, I choose "The Mayor of Casterbridge" as my inspiration which begins with a wife sale at a rural fair set in the 1830s. The installation was designed to transport visitors to the fair, complete with interactive options to enhance the experience. Dress-up activities, period hats, old-style distortion mirrors, and an 1830s-inspired camera prop were just some of the features available to encourage visitors to engage with the scene and learn more about the landscape that inspired Hardy's novel.

As the project progressed, I took on multiple roles and learned a great deal. One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to realise one of my own designs for an 1830s day dress and take my costume-making skills down to a 1:5 scale figure. Overall, this project was an incredible experience that allowed me to explore my passion for costume design and history.