Floating Heads!

The ‘Floating Heads’ installation is quite literally turning heads at the Kelvingrove Museum, situated in Glasgow. This installation was created by the talented Sophie Cave, a Scottish artist, and over 50 of them are asymmetrically hung, each displaying variations of emotions, ranging from laughter to despair. Each head is completely white, with defined, statement expressions and certain accents of the expressions are highlighted with a faint blue light. What is more is that these realistic faces, pose questions and suspicions to what it is that is provoking these said expressive declarations.

Floating Heads - Sophie Cave - Kelvingrove Museum

In addition, this installation could play a key role in inspiration for a set or production design. Imagine having over 50 of these heads, hung as a simplistic set design as the backdrop for a theatre play. With a mixture of lighting and sound effects, it plays for an eerie yet theatrical production. 

Defined Expression

Visit the museums website : http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/kelvingrove/about/Pages/default.aspx

Sources :

http://www.creativematch.com/news/floating-heads-of-kelvingrove-signify/92612/

http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/kelvingrove/about/Pages/default.aspx

Minimalist Movie Posters!

The phrase ‘Less is more’ works its wonders on these cleverly designed minimalist movie posters. Taking a wide variety of our favourite movies and giving them all a bold new poster redesign, results in crafty creations that utilise key aspects from the films and turning them into innovative individual pieces of art. Furthermore, there isn’t just one designer/artist creating these posters, the concept of minimalist poster art has spread through major photo-sharing communities such as Tumblr and Flickr, creating a birth of hundreds of tribute artworks by movie fans, artist and graphic designers alike.

Shutter Island - http://olivershilling.tumblr.com/

Benjamin Button - Emily Vincent

Forrest Gump - Robert Zemeckis

Avatar  - Hunter Langston

Inception - Brett Thurman

The Importance of Being Earnest

Catherine Martin

Catherine Martin is a highly renowned costume, production and set designer, as well as film producer. Her distinct and highly original creative aesthetic has been an essential ingredient in many well-known films, operas and plays.

Her creative work is commonly collaborated with director, screenwriter, producer and husband Baz Luhrmann. This collaborative teamwork has been essential to each film created and the overall productions have been phenomenal.  Her film debut with Lurhman, was in 1992 on the hugely successful Strictly Ballroom, her innovative designs on this film earned her ‘Best Production Design’ and ‘Best Costume Design at both the BAFTA and AFI awards’. In addition following this success she also worked on the 1996 production of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrman, for which she was awarded another ‘BAFTA for Best Production Design’ and an ‘Academy Award Nomination for Best Art Director.’

Her most awarded creations was for her work on Moulin Rouge! She was awarded two ‘Academy Awards for Costume Design and Art Direction’, as well as ‘AFI awards for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design’ and a ‘Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Production Design’ among many others.

Martin was asked in an interview which one of her sets she would like to live in, her reply was “If I could live in one of my sets, it would be "Moulin Rouge," although, I do love the here and now, and I would always worry about the health care because I'm slightly neurotic.”

Sources:

http://www.catherinemartin.com

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323528404578453003301009718

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0552039/

The Importance of Being Earnest!

For my Introductory Specialist Techniques module, I will be exploring themes based on the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde. Here I have begun to document my research and collate visual research in the form of a mood board and also adding sketched initial ideas.

Initial Research for 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

For this theatre-based assignment, the exploration of design and realisation of stage plans and model box is a clear introduction into production design. A scale model task was a starting point into exploring these themes and techniques. Therefore I have produced a 1:25 scale model, that consists of two wallpapered walls, tiled flooring, a detail door and dado, coving, a framed painting, and also a scaled figure. All of which is reflective of 19th century interior, which is when the play was set.

1:25 Scale Model

The Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum is an extraordinary French château museum building, internationally renowned for its collections of European fine and decorative arts spanning five centuries and situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Country Durham. With its extensive grounds it provides any visitor with a host of opportunities to see works of art, a fashion and textiles gallery and its iconic life size Silver Swan, an 18th century musical automaton.

The Bowes Musuem

The traditional permanent collections are complemented by a diverse range of contemporary exhibitions, ranging from Goya, Boudin, Monet, Damien Hirst, Vivienne Westwood and Tim Walker.

One stand out piece for me was the recreated ball gown of Joséphine Bowes, which she is seen wearing in her portrait. Luca Costigliolo was is a known theatrical and historical costumier, created the dress using traditional sewing techniques and a combination of both hand and machine sewing.  The dress was re-created in the museum during summer 2012, and was showcased in front of visitors.  The whole process was also filmed and documented and this can be watched by visitors inside the museum. 

Re-created ball gown of Joséphine Bowes

Luca Costigliolo with his re-creation

Check out the museums website : http://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk