A few weeks ago I wrote a piece about a friend of mine who was in the south of France. Im sure dear readers you all remember the story (see march 11th blog entry ). While she was walking through the countryside she came across a plastic doll and took a photo of it, then she sent it to me (the photo not the doll) but she did promise to bring the dolly back with her. Anyway, I went to pick up the doll in question sunday and now have it in my studio..
I knew I would love this doll since I first saw the photo, and when I finally set eyes on her , I was not disappointed, far from it.
Yes! she smells. Yes! she is a little scary looking. Yes! she has mange. But after a day of photographing her, she promises to be a wonderful piece of art and maybe has a future as an artists model (o.k. I may be going a little too far with the last statement)
So what is a grown man (thats me) doing with a sunburnt doll from the south of France? This I think is a good question. Here are some other good questions 1. At what point does it become art? 2. Why would something like a plastic doll interest me? 3. What do I see in this object that will make me work for a solid 2 weeks? 4.Is it o.k. for me to be seen playing with dolls? (the last question was a joke of course....wasn't it?)The truth is I work on instincts, I will produce the art first (with all my electrodes firing rapidly )and when the art is finished, I will start to pull apart all the reasons for making this a project. I realize that logic would have me work the other way around.I just didn't wont to talk myself out of this.Usually my instincts are dead on.
The image above is just a snap shot, nothing like the finished image, which of course isnt finished yet, because I just started working on this project today..whew!!!!!
You will have to excuse me now. As much as this doll promises to inspire great images out of me, she is stinking up the place with a kind of burnt rubber, mixed with hot rancid, cooking oil smell.
Ah! art has never smelled so good...............then again.
16 comments:
That indeed is a promising image of more things to come...with the perfect eyes.
A great find Philip.
M
she is a doll indeed
I think the doll becomes art when the artist makes it so...and then the viewer makes it so. But you could say anything was art--right? But then the point is to make the viewer think or feel? Or understand.
It's funny, but when I first saw the doll I had a very strong reaction to it--I hated it. And not much stirs up hatred in me.
Have fun playing though!
why did you hate it?
I think it's part scary, somehow, and partly having to do with when I was a child I didn't play with dolls. And someone set it on fire. Not sure--a lot of emotions when I look at the images.
Can't wait to see more.
Kim, thats vey interesting..who set it on fire....
Philip, I was referring to your doll being set on fire--kind of sad, I think.
oh I see...It was pure evil
"Knock, knock,
Excuse me, let me explain :
For decades, a friend of my father's has been gardening a piece of my land.Last year, he stopped because he was too old. He used this doll as a scarecrow, tied to a wooden pole.(It is not rare in France, I don't know about other countries).
She was not set in fire, her skin actually melted after at least 20 years in the scorching sun (I remember seing her a long time ago), miraculously enough are eyes are intact. She had a mate, a full size baby. As I was stealing swiss chard growing in the abandonned garden, I only recovered hishead, pierced by a bamboo...Sorry, no voodoo here
Now gardeners use CD's to scare the birds, I am not sure Philip could turn a used CD into Art...well, who knows?
B.
so now we all know the truth...thank you madam B
Hmmm...a baby--pierced by bamboo-- put in the hot sun to melt and scare birds--that might be worse than setting it on fire! If only the eyes weren't so real.
I bet Philip could turn used CDs into art--yea! We have a new project for you Philip!
Can't wait for the finished product on this one. You know where I'm coming from with this (check your email). ~Nik
Can you take progress photos so we can see this project evolve? I am intrigued.
I have worked 13 hours already today on this project...Its getting better and better.....I think this is a project only woman can elate to....I will do an update....hello ellen
I would disagree...I think you are underestimating the public...but then again..you need to see that for yourself.
M
Doll is a doll is a doll...
Could it be a "doller" ?
Doll in english, dol en français, dolor, doloris...
Any way, bien vu, Madame B.
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