Grad Show Cometh…Part 2

In my last post on this subject I talked about my basic ideas, introduced my principle characters, displayed test work and talked about final presentation. Of the the ideas I came up with I worked more on the third one, which is basically the oversized comic narrative in shambles amid a “warzone” , with the sculptural versions of my characters taking cover where they can find it- I had jokingly suggested incorporating some sort of discombobulated, but working television to display a crude animation of the robot character to emphasize the overpowering of weaker and slower by stronger and faster.

I took some time away, thought about it, and if I’m talking about weaker beaten by stronger, and I’m casting comics as the victim of artistic genocide at the hands of animation, than the discombobulated tv is no good, the animation has to be seen more clearly as the aggressor!

I had the idea of fashioning tanks out of multiple televisions, complete with turrets, missile launchers, and tank treads (see images). This would allow me to “broadcast” my animation at several points within the scene, and have multiple aggressors to be attacking my comics. Maybe even have a busted one, no longer working. I would allow the power cords to trail out behind them to find outlets to emphasize a serpentine and sinister encroachment upon the victims.

Pursuing this idea forces me to rearrange the focus in that previously the narrative was the primary focus and the installation/presentation was secondary. Now the opposite is true of the work, Installation/presentation becomes the primary focus as it is delivering the message and the narrative itself becomes window dressing as it has become environmental within the piece collectively. Strategically placed red and yellow flashing lights will contibute to a mood of bedlam and disaster within the scene, and maybe some pre-recorded explosions and tank noises will wrap it up.