"Playscape", FKA twigs' short film for the International Woolmark Prize 2022

FKA twigs is a multi-talented artist. Singer, performer, all-round creative, in recent weeks she has released three new projects: featuring video for Yung Lean's Bliss; joining the cast of The Crow reboot that will see actor Bill Skarsgard in the role that made Brandon Lee iconic and, above all, directing a short film for the International Woolmark Prize 2022, the annual award in honor of emerging fashion talent that showcases the versatility of Australian merino wool. 

In the 5 minutes and 7 seconds of Playscape, made in collaboration with Zak Group, the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and choreographer Juliano Nunes, FKA, in the dual role of director and performer, celebrates the right to play, the art and the work of the 7 contest finalists by combining elements of hip-hop, modernism, contemporary dance and punk aesthetics. The singer and dancers of the Avant Garden collective, along with guests such as activist and model Kai-Isaiah Jamal, DJ and dancer Kiddy Smile and DJ and artist Princess Julia, dance, jump, parade, hug, show tooth gems and creations of the IWP finalists, moving among Noguchi's works. 

"For some, play is best left to children, but it’s through play that creativity is sparked and new perspectives are created. Our vision for the Woolmark Prize is to create a playground for the next generation of fashion talent to collide with dance, art, music and design."

Says Zak Kyes who collaborated on Playscape. Together this super cool crew seems to fully embody the free creativity that comes from playful exploration and pure expression, the same as that conveyed by Noguchi, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, who started making playgrounds in the 1930s and was interested throughout his career in the idea of sculpture as a socially relevant art.

The oldest award in fashion dedicated to young designers (the first prize was won by Karl Lagerfeld in 1954 when he was only 21 years old) has this year's finalists Peter Do, Ahluwalia, Saul Nash, EGONLAB, Jordan Dalah, MMUSOMAXWELL e RUI, who competed to create a collection made entirely of Australian merino wool. The winner, who will receive a prize of 200,000 Australian dollars to invest in the development of their business, will be announced on 26 April at a ceremony in London by a panel of judges including, among others, Naomi Campbell, Riccardo Tisci, Carine Roitfeld, Pieter Mulier, creative director of Alaïa, and Ben Gorham, the founder of Byredo.