Transmedia from art

Week 5, Lecture 5 Titled “The Last Supper,” this is a work by Leonardo da Vinci, housed the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. This work is not easily accessible to people; I myself had to make a reservation weeks prior to the visit and was given only 15 minutes to view the work with a group of about 15 other people. The tight security is deemed necessary for the preservation of human heritage. Because this is a famous work, stories have been developed based on this material, most recently being the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code (2003), which was also adapted into a hit film.

“The Last Supper” also inspired many plays, with posters of the plays being derived from this image. An immense number of TV commercials have also been based on this work, and the betrayal in the story motivated writers to tell stories about episodes that followed. The Da Vinci Code was based on the secrets of Jesus and the alleged Mary Magdalene image in the “Last Supper” fresco. The narrative is based around imagery that is not shown in the actual artwork, but because Da Vinci’s work has such distinct characters, the author was able to expand these ideas a novel. I am now showing the events of the “Last Supper” reborn as a dance.

Musicians are playing Handel’s “Messiah” while the dancers express the night’s incidents between the Twelve Apostles. Some might see this as a reenactment, but because it is neither typical in style nor is it a linear drama, there is an infinite potential. Obviously, the text in the Bible serves as the foundation, which becomes the main structure of the story providing a solid worldview. Endless stories stem from it, most likely because the piece is

highly approachable: We all know the worldview, characters, and plot to begin with, and creators and consumers can access the work with ease, allowing much room for development. There are already two versions of the play. The first was about what happened that night, and how intimate the Twelve Apostles were. Who of these twelve will be confused by Jesus’s announcement that one of them will betray him? A completely independent story played out over 100 minutes, revolving around their relationship. The second one was from an utterly different point of view, asking, “What significance does a “supper” carry?” What does it mean to wine and dine someone? Why do this on the last night, just before his crucifixion?

Why didn’t he give a speech, or hold a meeting? Why did it have to be a supper? The stories are shared around a table while eating and drinking?what life is about. Supper was chosen as a medium to convey the importance of changes that take place in life. This performance focuses on supper, food, drink, song, and dance, exploring what each means in the modern world. Just like this, a single painting can lead to unlimited stories. Another can be about a character.

In this case, about Judas Iscariot : When did he did he transition from being an apostle to a traitor? Just like a novel was born, another story can be developed. Peter and Andrew, who are known for their ambition to lead, could be another source of a story. We have witnessed many instances where members of a group were reorganized due to a power struggle, which is what we can see in this story as well. It could be rewritten as a political soap opera or story about food, or a different kind of music could be made. The work also challenges us to do research to better understand its perspective.

More specifically, people conduct research on how the structure will be reborn in modern times. The charm of the classical work is that it doesn’t only have one type of content but possess a variety of styles, such as music and painting, which can be expanded to incorporate transmedia storytelling focusing on its background, worldview, philosophy, and characters. With a somewhat vague title, the subject of “The Last Supper” can be portrayed on blogs or in TV series in countless ways. In conclusion, it can be said that classical work can provide a core story for transmedia storytelling thanks to its solid worldview, strong plots, and sound characters.