1. What do you understand by the word 'claymation'?
What I understand by the word claymation is clay that is used to make animation. “a method of animation in which clay figures are filmed using stop motion photography" (definition: claymation 26/07/2011)
2. What is meant by the term 'surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?
According to Stangos (134) Surrealism is:
" a certain point of the mind at which life and death, the real the imaginary, the past and the future, the communicable and the incommunicable, the heights and the depths, cease to be perceived contradictably. Now it is in vain that one would seek any other motive for surrealist activity than determining this point."
Alan (1996) goes on to further explain: "Through the unconscious or a highly sensitized state of mind, the surrealist brought forth a new manner of seeing and feeling the world as it was understood and negotiated by Western peoples". 'Surrealistic Garden of Eden' can be applied to the work 'Experiment' 2009 by Nathalie Djurberg as it is almost as if what you are seeing is like a dream or in this case a nightmare. Gloomy and dark, the flowers are out to attack you, everywhere you walk there are claymation horror scenes. As the viewer you step away from the appropriate, planned or expected. What was told in the bible and storybooks off this happy and plentiful paradise is the complete opposite. Therefore all natural goes awry.
3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?
The 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with are fear, horror, imagination, excitement. When I look at this piece I don't know what to think or feel.
"Through these minutely composed sequences of stop-motion animations, Djurberg toys with society's perceptions of right and wrong, exposing our own innate fears of what we do not understand and illustrating the complexity that arises when we are confronted with these emotions." Biennale Catalog (n.d)
Aside from being absolutely terrified from the creatures that roam this forest, there is a feeling of utter amazement. The "non-rational drives and impulses in human thought and behavior" Kreis (2000). There is a unexpentancy, so you don't know whether to be happy or sad. Djurberg's work raises allot of questions in relation to what is right and what is wrong. You are pushed out of your comfort zone into the unknown, which makes the work so successful. We like the claymations are always running from something, judged by people who think they are above us, unusual yet unique only to disintegrate in the world.
4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?
According to Alan (1996) "Art produced by young children was more real than that produced by adults-- since the art of adults was usually repressed and contaminated." Djurberg has recreated this classic and portrayed it through the eyes of a child. When something is scary and frightening it’s always dark, there are loud and strange noises, and monsters under your bed. The pretty princess is represented by the woman in one of the claymations trying to escape the forest, the Catholic priest are the villains and the clay figure battling her limbs or inner demons. In relation to innocence the catholic priest just stand and watch as the nude woman rip each other to shreds for entertainment. When we observe other works produced by Djurberg’s is it is almost as if her characters have got themselves into trouble by accident which is usually the case in most story lines.
5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?
I think that some designers are turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing because people are sick of “and they lived happily ever after". We live in a world were unfortunately “happily ever after" does not exist. Society has changed and has come to grips that not all stories end well. The innocent and sweet doesn’t sell, where as the disturbing does because it is the truth. When you look at Djurberg’s work it shows the world and the people for who they really are "civilization is a burden and people must bear it for the alternative is worse" Kreis (2000). In relation to psychoanalysis and the subconscious artist are able to express the non-rational.
6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?
In my opinion I think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale not only for its visual impact but the message the artist is trying to communicate with the viewer. The work gives credit to surrealism and surrealist artist in the world of contemporary art. What I find so daring about the artist is that the Catholic Church knows Italy as the home. 'Experiment' as we know means "a method of testing with the goal of explaining the nature of reality". In a way this piece questions the foundations of the Catholic Church both faith and belief. Was the Garden of Eden picturesque and harmonious as depicted in the renaissance paintings? Was it Eve who eat the apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Maybe it was Adam? The work also brings to light speculations that I'm sure the Catholic Church would like to stay buried.
7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work.
I didn't understand the work until I researched into it and read other student blogs on their opinion. This was my first time analyzing and researching into surrealism and I found it really interesting. The way in which artist developed and came up with new ideas to inspire and create art was fascinating. You are taken to another world, exploring the forest and vicious creatures, stumbling across true horrors. The use of installation and claymation is something I have never come across which is what I find so rare and effective.
natalie djurberg: 'experiment' at venice art biennale 09. (07.05.09). Retrieved August 24th, 2011, from
Claymation (n.d). Retrieved August 24th 2011, from
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg-experiment-at-venice-art-biennale-09.html
Claymation (n.d). Retrieved August 24th 2011, from
How to make Animated Films
Tony White 2009 published by Elsevier Inc
Digital Character Animation
George Maestri 1996 published by New Riders Publishing
Hi Eden!
ReplyDeleteFirstly I would like to agree with what you said in question 5 about how people are sick of the happy ever after because it does not necessarily exist. I also think it is quite interesting how the sweet and innocent does not sell anymore like how it used to a few decades ago where everyone in society was very much into the whole idea of pure, clean and untouched things. Whereas now days that is seen as something quite boring and a twist in the tale, so to say, is needed to hold people's attention and focus. It's a bit funny to think about how we are now into seeing the truth in things and we enjoy disturbing works which do not hide or hold anything back, but yet we are now more than ever a generation that is more ‘fake’ than ever before.
And secondly, Im curious about what you pointed out in question 6 about the Catholic Church. I would never have thought of it in that way as the Experiment work does not seem to point to anything religiously related but as you pointed it out, it is a very curious thing to say. I might actually think that this is one of the ideas she may be referring to by her Garden of Eden models.
When I researched into the work and looked into it more carefully I discovered all these connections that there are with religion. Why else would she have used the title 'surrealist Garden of Eden' and the weird and wacky forest and horrifying claymations with priests. Djurberg questions faith, is this what we put our faith in?
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