Shakespeare introduced her to us as a symbol of lost innocence. Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais picked up where the bard left off and imagined her as an object of ethereal beauty resting at last in a tranquil stream, and now Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro has produced a film directly inspired by the artist's work.

 

'Ophelia Has A Dream' is the designer's answer to Millais' 'Ophelia'. Photographed by Paolo Roversi, the film again conveys the sense of tranquility, beauty and innocence found in the original painting, qualities that drew Yasuhiro to the fictional character as his muse.

 

First shown as part of Miharayasuhiro's SS12 show, 'Ophelia Has A Dream' now sits in the Tate Britain beside Mallais' masterpiece, installed as an interactive piece that reminds viewers of the pre-Raphaelites' influence on contemporary culture.

 

Jack Smylie