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Paul Tazewell, a highly celebrated costume designer renowned both in Hollywood and on Broadway, has earned an impressive collection of awards recognizing his exceptional talent.
On Monday, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago unveiled an exhibit dedicated to showcasing his artistic achievements.
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This special exhibition offers a glimpse into Tazewell’s life journey through his stunning costume designs.
From iconic productions like “Wicked” and “Hamilton” to “West Side Story,” each piece reflects the distinctive Tazewell touch.
Tazewell expressed that it was “exhilarating” and profoundly significant for the exhibit to debut on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The artist said a museum inspired by science is the perfect backdrop for what he did for Glinda.
“How is it going to move? How can you create costumes and engineer them so that they move in a very specific way? All of that is the science of clothing, the technology that’s informed by 3D printing, by digital laser cutting, you know, all of those elements together, you know. That is within the world of science,” Tazewell said.
He said his mother taught him how to sew and believes she saw something in him even then.
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“I believe, absolutely. I mean, you know, she was the one that taught me to draw. She was the one that taught me to sew. She was the one that taught me to be a problem-solver,” Tazewell said.
During a Tony acceptance speech, Tazewell described himself as once being a Black queer boy from Akron, Ohio.
“Just all of my experience that’s led up to this amazing moment. You know, I think that collectively, you know, it speaks of a really rich and beautiful life,” he said.
Tazewell said he was the first Black man to receive the costume design award at the Oscars.
“You know, I, I have to say: It is, it’s mind blowing, you know, to have been in this profession for 36 years, to finally be seen, where I can be the face of someone who, you know, is inspiring for others,” Tazewell said.
“Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell” is an experience you do not want to miss.
And you can see it through Sept. 7 at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.
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