Study for costume design for “Salome” by Oscar Wilde

Aleksandra Aleksadrovna Ekster (Belestok, January 6th, 1882; Fontenau-aux-Roses, near Paris, March 17th, 1947) attended the School of Fine Arts in Kiev (1901-1903, 1906-1908). From 1908 onwards she traveled to Paris and to other European cities. She participated in a number of exhibitions, including Link (Kiev, 1908); New Trends (St. Petersburg, 1908); Wreath (Moscow, 1909); in the first and second Izdebsky Salons (Odessa and other cities, 1910-1911); Union of Youth (St. Petersburg, 1914); The Ring (Kiev, 1914); Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art “Verbovka” (Moscow 1915, 1917). In 1915 she began working as a stage and costume designer with Inokentii Anneskii’s Famira of the cittern (1916), Oscar Wilde’s Salome (1917) and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1921), which were produced by Aleksandr Tairov at the Moscow Chambre Theatre. In 1918 she founded her own studio in Kiev. From 1920 to 1922 she taught at the Higher State Art-Technical Studios (VKHUTEMAS). In 1921 she participated with Rodchenko, Stepanova and Vesnin in the exhibition 5 x 5 = 25 in Moscow. During the years 1923-1924 she designed the costumes for the film Aelita, directed by Yakov Protasanov. In 1923 she designed with Ignatii Nivinski decorations for the All-Russian Agricultural and Handicraft Industrial Exhibition in Moscow. In 1924 she emigrated to France. She continued working as a graphic designer and made designs for theatre sceneries, books, costumes and interiors.