Not currently on display at the V&A

M. Butterfly

Preliminary Set Design
1989 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Preliminary set design by Voytek for David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly directed by Keith Hack, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg, 1989.

Dubbed Voytek by George Devine, Wojciech Roman Pawel Jerzy Szendzikowski (1925-2014), was known for his distinctive designs for the stage, theatre and film. Drawing his elaborate designs from in depth analysis of each script or screenplay.

Winning the Military Cross for his role in the Second World War, Voytek transferring first to Italy and then to Scotland after the end of the war where he enrolled at the Dundee Art Collage. In 1947 he moved to London, becoming a student of stage design at the Old Vic Theatre School. His career as a stage set and costume designer began with the Nottingham Playhouse whist his work on TV drama began with ABC Television and on film with Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac.

His theatrical works concentrated on major regional theatre and touring companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Shared Experience; he was head of design at the Liverpool Playhouse from 1981-1982.

The collection this design is from also contains working drawings, model pieces, photograph, production notes as well as press cuttings and programmes relating to Voytek’s career as a production designer for the stage, television and film.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleM. Butterfly (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pastel on paper
Brief description
Preliminary set design by Voytek for David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly directed by Keith Hack, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg, 1989
Physical description
Pastel on black paper preliminary set design by Voytek for David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly directed by Keith Hack, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg 1989. The design shows a tiered red frame which dominates the stage and is hung with yellow lamps. In the centre of the back wall is a large white neon circle. In the foreground stands a figure drawn in white.
Dimensions
  • Height: 29.4cm
  • Width: 41.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • A tiered prison to look like a pagoda. Clusters of giant flowers swing neon rim The [?orens] nest Truck painted silk drape [coulie?] shades Voytek signature 1989. (On front side in white pastel)
  • "M. Butterfly" an early sketch. (On reverse side in white pastel)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Literary referenceM. Butterfly
Summary
Preliminary set design by Voytek for David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly directed by Keith Hack, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg, 1989.

Dubbed Voytek by George Devine, Wojciech Roman Pawel Jerzy Szendzikowski (1925-2014), was known for his distinctive designs for the stage, theatre and film. Drawing his elaborate designs from in depth analysis of each script or screenplay.

Winning the Military Cross for his role in the Second World War, Voytek transferring first to Italy and then to Scotland after the end of the war where he enrolled at the Dundee Art Collage. In 1947 he moved to London, becoming a student of stage design at the Old Vic Theatre School. His career as a stage set and costume designer began with the Nottingham Playhouse whist his work on TV drama began with ABC Television and on film with Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac.

His theatrical works concentrated on major regional theatre and touring companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Shared Experience; he was head of design at the Liverpool Playhouse from 1981-1982.

The collection this design is from also contains working drawings, model pieces, photograph, production notes as well as press cuttings and programmes relating to Voytek’s career as a production designer for the stage, television and film.
Other number
THM/153 (Voytek Archive) - Archive number
Collection
Accession number
S.2125-1994

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Record createdOctober 2, 2014
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