From what I can gather, ‘claymation’ is a process where clay models are “moved and filmed using stop-motion photography.” This is a narrative process which is created with the use of clay models and photography. “Claymation films” is a useful approach to creating lifelike movements detailed with emotion.
-Dictionary Reference. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Claymation
A surrealistic artwork is a piece which was inspired by the surrealism “movement in art and literature which originated in France (1924).” These pieces express the subconscious activities that occur in our minds by exposing dreams and similar experiences through art. The Biennale catalogue stated that Experiment (2009), by Nathalie Djurberg was a “surrealistic Garden of Eden.” Djurberg’s garden “is an installation recreating a Garden of Eden from hell. It's a garden covered with creepy flowers. They are so big they dwarf visitors; their colours and shapes are nauseating. Sun never lights up the garden, set in a perpetual crepuscule, in the Basement of the Padiglione delle Esposizioni.” Her film also expresses the opposite of the Garden of Eden as a woman tries to escape an older lecher, when they soon are being attacked by the forest. The Garden of Eden was a peaceful and holy place whereas Djurberg’s forest is “horrifying and quite peculiar.”
We also observe that “all that is natural goes “awry” as the plants look frightening in the dark as though they are under an evil spell. Also just the look of them is unusual and not natural as though it has lost its natural beauty as plants.
- Art 21. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://blog.art21.org/2009/06/16/nathalie-djurberg-and-paul-chan-making-weird-worlds-at-birnbaums-biennale/
-Coulson, J. (1975). The Award Illustrated Dictionary. London, England: Award Publications Limited.
-We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php
Djurberg confronts us with complex emotions such as fear and disgust. She takes what most people see to be right or wrong and twists them to expose such tormenting emotions from her viewers. We see the models doing disturbing things such as fall apart and have their body parts eat them alive. This sort of behaviour is something to be expected from a “psychopathic horror film.” It is typical for a surrealistic artist such as Djurberg to create artworks which are unexpected and contradicting to society.
- We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php
Djurberg’s films have ideas which are present in children’s stories. They both have the “traditional roles” such as good, bad, and the Good Samaritan. But of course Djurberg’s films are the horror filled version of your usual children’s story. At first glimpse though, the clay characters look innocent with the common big “googly eyes” as seen in children’s books. This is before a part of their body starts forcing death upon the character. The artist uses the idea of vulnerable clay characters to create a childlike setting before completely taking a surrealistic twist in the narrative.
-Art News. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://artnews.org/artist.php?i=1211
I think designers are trying the approach of turning something “innocent and sweet into something disturbing” because it steps away from the cliché idea of the “happy ending.” Djurberg leaves behind in the viewer’s mind a brutally disturbing image of her clay models therefore making a lasting impact. Now she is known for these disturbing pieces and also very talked-about. She definitely knows how to keep her audience awake with sudden unexpected images such as a Catholic priest watching erotic nude women. This concept has also been evidently inspired by the surrealism movement as we constantly observe the “element of surprise, [and] unexpected juxtapositions” in works done by Djurberg and other artists such as Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte.
-Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism
I find ‘Experiment’ interesting because it is out of the ordinary and which is also why I think it was chosen for the Venice Biennale. It leaves behind a lingering impression as you end up thinking of the unspoken as surrealistic artists tend to try and achieve this exact impact. In its own sick and twisted way, this piece is exciting and thrilling to watch as you don’t know what is yet to come and while you eagerly wait, a sense of fear arises. This piece demands a reaction from the audience which is why it is perfect for the Venice Biennale.
- We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php
I find Djurberg’s work to be disturbing yet quite effective. This artist knows how to spark emotion from the audience which is a hard thing to do as an artist. I truly admire her unique terrifying techniques. The effective use of Claymation is quite new to me which is why I really love the detailed models that the artist has presented. I find her works to be successful despite the horror which is attached to it.
Allot of the work I believe is about religion. What we believe in? Who is god? Does he exist? What I found so interesting about this work is that it questions faith and religion. What we believe in. We believe in the things we believe in because we are told by people who have some sort of status. Is this really what the garden of eden look liked? Maybe Djurberg's interpretation is the truth? I find the claymation with the catholic priest so intreging because it brings to light speculations which exist today. What makes it even more dearing is that the exhibition was held in the country that is home to one of the most powerful church's in its time and a faith that has existed for centuries. If that isn't freedom of speech, I don't know what is. The links between psychoanalysis and the subconscious are evident. It seems all the beauty was taken out of the world and horror and fear took its place. Like in a dream state the nightmare.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that Nathalie Djburberg works are disturbing and out of the ordinary, but that's one of the reasons why she is acknowledged. I agree with you when you say she creates complex emotions of fear and disgust because her works are frightening and weird. Personally I believe that she created self involvement with her viewers as they are able to experience shock and fear as they enter the gallery where her work is displayed. When walking into the gallery viewers are able to feel as if they have walked into a surrealistic and magical area of space as the work is displayed differently to the works that you would usually find in a common gallery.
ReplyDeleteDjurburgs work does depict disgust and fear and i think that the way she has created these characters really fascinates people as how detailed they are in each scene. I truly agree with you that when you say she takes a something that everyone sees as a normal thing she would twist them and turn them into something unbelievable and awkward to stare at.I think that it is why people would stop and stare because it is in someway interesting.
ReplyDeleteDjurbergs work is so intense, her work could attract a million people like you said. Her work seems very mysterious and I reckon alot of viewers would question her work about what was going through her head while she was making her clay characters etc. She is very iconic in a way that she does the complete opposite to what society would expect and differs from many other artists doing similar works.
ReplyDeleteI agree when you state that Djurberg's work is in a sense disturbing, But at the same time I think to myself that what we as people find disturbing we most always avoid with any of our senses. When we do confront them more or less they are in our subconscious dreams. I think it is important for artists to create our horrors so we can surround ourselves in them, such as the environment of a exhibition, this then allows our to take the time and think more deeply about why they occur. The dark can be beautiful, death can be beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDjurberg's work is very interesting and many people get attentions like you said on the blog. When I saw her works it was very fresh to me and mysterious. Really mystery about the expresions on the characters and feeling of her sculptures.
ReplyDeleteThe colours are also dark, but as viwers points, this dark colour can be beautiful. Personally I like the dark colours like black. On my point of view I agree about her works are disturbing like you said.
Althought some people might think that her styles of work are scary and don't like the meaning of death can be beautiful on their poiints...
Djurberg’s work is very weird and exciting in a sense where I’ve never seen something like it. The complexity and elegance in the flowers really stood out to me because of the different colours that it has. I also found the name of the work interesting considering that ‘The Garden of Eden’ is known as a beautiful place, whereas we in these flowers we see the beauty in horror, darkness and that sense of death because of the flower that bleeds onto the floor.
ReplyDelete