Liisa Pesonen

Liisa Pesonen serves as a University Lecturer in the Department of Film at Aalto University, specializing in costume design and scenography within performing arts contexts. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in theatre and film production, emphasizing innovative approaches to visual storytelling through design.

Her research centers on material and conceptual dimensions of performance design, with particular focus on sustainable practices, historical costume reconstruction, and experimental applications for non-human narratives. Pesonen investigates how costume functions as narrative device in historical performances (e.g., Bellman operettas) and speculative contexts (e.g., fungal civilizations), while critically examining sustainability challenges in theatrical production through material innovation and circular economy principles.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent thematic threads: historical performance reinterpretation, ecological consciousness in design, and boundary-pushing material experimentation. Her work demonstrates interdisciplinary reach, connecting fashion technology, environmental ethics, and theatrical storytelling across diverse projects from 18th-century operettas to speculative Siberian flying squirrel performances, establishing her as a significant voice in contemporary performance design scholarship.