"Neotropolis costume, 2023" by Monica Marks
Neotropolis costume, 2023. Repurposed textiles & EL wire, umbrella. 7’ x 4’ x 4’, $1414
Statement: Created for Neotropolis, an immersive sci-fi and cyberpunk-themed event that is part music festival, part desert campout, and part LARP from the godfathers of fully immersive festivals, Wasteland World. I created this costume for a character I played at the last evening of the event. Beta (my character name) is a high-ranking member in the Legion of Jellyfish Stewards. The Legion hosts jellies from waterborne planets who want to visit airborne planets for special events. Neotropolis is a city and not the name of the planet itself - that name is Kepler-609c - but as the only center of habitation on the planet, everyone just calls it Neotropolis, and everyone from all corners of the universe travels there once a year to party. The jellyfish part of my costume glows with battery powered EL Wire and other lighting effects, however, it sustained injuries on the outing on the desert planet. The base is created from a clear iridescent umbrella which is attached to a backpack holding the battery packs for the lighting. EL Wire is attached to ruffle pleated chiffon trim; other tendrils are made from various other trims and UV-reactive lanyard. The Jumpsuit was purchased second-hand and modified with purchased patches along with an identification design which I created, had made into patches and personally made into an acrylic badge on our laser cutter.
Neotropolis costume, 2023. Repurposed textiles & EL wire, umbrella. 7’ x 4’ x 4’, $1414
Statement: Created for Neotropolis, an immersive sci-fi and cyberpunk-themed event that is part music festival, part desert campout, and part LARP from the godfathers of fully immersive festivals, Wasteland World. I created this costume for a character I played at the last evening of the event. Beta (my character name) is a high-ranking member in the Legion of Jellyfish Stewards. The Legion hosts jellies from waterborne planets who want to visit airborne planets for special events. Neotropolis is a city and not the name of the planet itself - that name is Kepler-609c - but as the only center of habitation on the planet, everyone just calls it Neotropolis, and everyone from all corners of the universe travels there once a year to party. The jellyfish part of my costume glows with battery powered EL Wire and other lighting effects, however, it sustained injuries on the outing on the desert planet. The base is created from a clear iridescent umbrella which is attached to a backpack holding the battery packs for the lighting. EL Wire is attached to ruffle pleated chiffon trim; other tendrils are made from various other trims and UV-reactive lanyard. The Jumpsuit was purchased second-hand and modified with purchased patches along with an identification design which I created, had made into patches and personally made into an acrylic badge on our laser cutter.
Neotropolis costume, 2023. Repurposed textiles & EL wire, umbrella. 7’ x 4’ x 4’, $1414
Statement: Created for Neotropolis, an immersive sci-fi and cyberpunk-themed event that is part music festival, part desert campout, and part LARP from the godfathers of fully immersive festivals, Wasteland World. I created this costume for a character I played at the last evening of the event. Beta (my character name) is a high-ranking member in the Legion of Jellyfish Stewards. The Legion hosts jellies from waterborne planets who want to visit airborne planets for special events. Neotropolis is a city and not the name of the planet itself - that name is Kepler-609c - but as the only center of habitation on the planet, everyone just calls it Neotropolis, and everyone from all corners of the universe travels there once a year to party. The jellyfish part of my costume glows with battery powered EL Wire and other lighting effects, however, it sustained injuries on the outing on the desert planet. The base is created from a clear iridescent umbrella which is attached to a backpack holding the battery packs for the lighting. EL Wire is attached to ruffle pleated chiffon trim; other tendrils are made from various other trims and UV-reactive lanyard. The Jumpsuit was purchased second-hand and modified with purchased patches along with an identification design which I created, had made into patches and personally made into an acrylic badge on our laser cutter.