Photography: My models being made

Papier-mâché  'Igor' character 

Papier-mâché  'Igor' character (torso)

Plasticine 'Robbie' and 'Natasha' models

Plasticine 'Robbie' (torso bare)

Plasticine 'Robbie' 

For the Fiction project I've been making these models. I plan to place them in the photography studio and use the white backdrop as the white world that is Lieland. It seems I have taken focus on the characters more than anything else.

I have moved too far on in my project from this to develop these characters more (I have photographed the scenes and are ready for the final crit). Only now, taking a step back and really asking myself whether the choice in materials and visuals of these models are the most appropriate to a contemporary piece of writing for an adult audience. In short, they are very childlike with their out of proportionate heads and big eyes. A point was highlighted about how I've used the Plasticine; Plasticine is a great material but to use it all over a model is takes away from that. As I suggestion, Plasticine can make really long and spindly hands and then perhaps leather for the shirt of sleeve. But then again, baring in mind it doesn't become a Ken doll wearing clothes.  So, I have experimented and played more with materials and created a couple of bizarre characters from found/raw materials. I have also looked into a couple more artists which I will upload in a few posts time. 

Research: White Vast World

The idea of my work at the moment is focusing on the 'White World' that is described in Lieland by Etgar Keret. I am looking into organic forms that describe vast landscapes and fantastic structures.   

'The Great Mutation' Ives Tanguy (1942) Cut-and-pasted painted paper, gouache, and pencil on paper. 11 3/8 x 8 5/8 in. 

"...In 1927, characterised by abstract biomorphic shapes resting or floating in a desert-like or under-water space...In 1930 visited Africa, where he was fascinated by the curious rock formations" 

Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists

Photocopies from 'Fantastical Architecture', Hermann Finsterlin drawings

"Within Bruno Taut's circle of friends, Hermann Finsterlin was the most extreme exponent of a sculpturally interpreted architecture. His designs are intriguing as pictures, projecting themselves as they do into a world of unknown conditions. As Architecture, these sheets of drawings must have caused a sensation at the time they were published, although they could have been understood as non-objective sculpture even then"  

U. Conrads, Fantastic Architecture (1963)

'Little Red Dot Against the Grand Canyon' Eva Prokop (2007)

"The truth is that no one knows for sure though there are some pretty good guesses...The most powerful force to have an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, primarily by water (and ice) and second by wind. Other forces that contributed to the Canyon's formation are the course of the Colorado River itself, vulcanism, continental drift and slight variations in the earths orbit which in turn causes variations in seasons and climate."

B. Ribokas (1994-2009)

Published in:
Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, pp.712-3

U. Conrads, H. Guenther, Fantastic Architecture, The Architectural Press, London 1963, pp.36-7 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/evapro/531468246

http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm

Voodoo Dolls

So, for my current project (illustrating Keret's Lieland) I played around with Calico and made these suggestive characters (pictures to come). A friend of mine, Arjun, said how they reminded him of Voodoo dolls. This is an interesting idea because like in the story, lies hurt people and I can imagine as every lie is told a pin is placed into the doll (calico and pins link nicely too).

$9.99 film by Tatia Rosenthal and Etgar Keret

It was mentioned to check out $9.99, it being written by Keret whom which I am Illustrating his Lieland short story. The animation reaches an ultimate surreal level and just plain weird in the scene where one of the characters considers 'bone removal' for his girlfriend - because she likes her men smooth... 

Film stills

A film written by Keret about a 27-year old man named Dave who searches for the meaning of life with a magazine that costs $9.99. As the story unfolds, family member's lives are woven in and examine the post-modern meaning of home. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySTify2Fyrc

Fiction Project

Lieland by Etgar Keret