Thesis
Over the past few years, being engaged in the Fine Arts degree program has lead my art to evolve and become almost entirely photo based. Through practicing many mediums within Fine Arts, I’ve found my most successful works have been produced by combining my passions of makeup effects and costuming to the medium of photography. Photography allows me to portray these made up, costumed characters to viewers in images taken in whatever angle, lighting, or environment I feel will best serve to enhance my ideas.
Usually, within my images, I like to tell a story. In the past I have recreated non-fictional horror characters such as Elizabeth Bathory and Ted Bundy. I created each character how I pictured them in my mind after digging deeper and learning more and more details of each serial Killer’s story. With learning about these unbelievable details that had happened in real life, I wanted to portray each of these characters as realistic as possible to bring that same horror to viewers that I had felt when reading about their true histories.
Once I had recreated these non-fictional characters to draw out this strong reaction, I wanted to create some of my own stories and characters which could appear realistic. I was interested in discovering whether the recreated non-fiction or the realistic fiction would have a more powerful reaction. To my surprise, the fictional characters which I created such as a murderous Candy Man that lures children in with candy as well as the Magician and Clown duo that put on a show to attract unsuspecting viewers to their demise both had more shocking reactions than the non-fictional character recreations. Viewers would often explain that this strengthened shock value within the fictional character images was due to the fact that the characters I created were more extreme made up character creations that were relatable to their own experiences or fears; For example having a fear of strangers or fear of clowns.
After doing photos which evoked horror I decided to investigate if anyone else has done something similar. Little did I know, there are photographers whom approach photography in a similar manner and aim to evoke fear. These artists are titled Horror Photographers. Joshua Hoffine and Danielle Anathema are two Horror Photographers I’ve discovered which have a similar approach to their work as mine. Joshua Hoffine’s work commonly focuses on childhood fears. He creates his scenes like small movie sets, using special effects makeup, costumes, props, and lighting which he then photographs his ‘actors’ or children within, creating an image much like a movie still. As Hoffine states, “I try to present the images within the visual grammar of a child. I want the viewer to share their point of view, to feel their sense of vulnerability…” (Joshua Hoffine). Anathema’s images are created through a similar nature. Makeup, costumes, and props are very evident; however, the images are less like captured movie stills as Anathema uses much more post production Photoshopping to create the final product. Her images tend to be produced for a much more adult audience. Anathema explains: “The darkness can be mesmerizing, scary, romantic and humorous. Through my photography I am able to express my passion by capturing the world of horror, humor and erotica through the eye of my camera” (Anathema Photography).
After looking at various artists such as Hoffine and Anathema who use similar photography methods as I, both conceptually and by physical means of fabrication involving makeup, costumes, props and lighting, I decided for my next body of work I wanted to use various aspects I felt made these artists work so strong. For example, Hoffine’s tactic of relating his images to childhood fears allowed for all viewers to relate as everyone was or is a child; making the horror he wanted to evoke that much more successful. I felt that Hoffine’s means of creating his images by making small movie sets and using little Photoshop also made his images more fear evoking. Less Photoshop lends to a more realistic nature to the image. Anathema, on the other hand, creates horror works that are erotic and much more adult, steering away from the idea of the image being seen through a child’s eyes. I personally believe having adult imagery offers another realm of horror to the images. Just as an R-Rated horror film is often more horrifying than a PG-Rated horror film.
Relating back into my own creative images, I have decided I want to create multiple series of images that are relatable to the majority of viewers. Much like the strength of Hoffine’s work, as it was made to relate to everyone because it dealt with childhood, I decided to recreate well known Fairy Tale stories I remember from my childhood. However, I don’t want my recreated versions of Fairy Tales to be PG-Rated; as I have decided Anathema’s work was successful due to her vivid erotic undertones. In order to recreate Fairy Tales with a more adult twist, I have decided to recreate four stories with a more R-Rated nature. The stories I have chosen include: Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. I chose these stories specifically, as after researching the main Fairy Tales I remember from my childhood, these four stories had different underlying life lessons or meanings behind them that I am able to shift into my own twisted adult versions.
To create my versions of these well-known Fairy Tales, I’ve researched various books on the topic which contain multiple versions of each story as well as individual interpretations on meanings found within them. I then discovered the original stories are far more adult then the current contemporary versions which were made suitable for this era. For example, the original Little Red Riding Hood is actually called “The Story of Grandmother”, and it involves the wolf killing the Grandma before Red Riding Hood Arrives to her Grandmas house. The wolf puts the Grandma’s flesh in the pantry along with her blood in a wine bottle. Once Red Riding Hood arrives at the house he tells her to undress and grab some meat and wine from the pantry at an attempt to seduce her (The Classic Fairy Tales). The original version reads much different than the story most of us know, also much more horrifying in my opinion as it directly relates to rape of a young girl as well as bestiality and cannibalism.
The makeup and costumes play a big role in portraying these characters the way I would like viewers to read them in my new versions of the Fairy Tales. Most of my makeup inspiration is drawn from watching numerous episodes of reality TV competition shows such as Face Off and Top Model. Face Off is a search for the next greatest makeup artist which challenges various artists to do full makeups and costumes to create unique characters based off of each challenge criteria. They use a wide range of materials anywhere from foam latex faces to cotton candy hair. Top Model is the search for the next greatest model. The show consists of a large crew which involves multiple makeup artists and stylists that stylize each model for various photo shoots. There has been makeups done anywhere from zombies coming out of a crashed airplane, to becoming a wild animal. Through watching these TV shows, I am able to draw inspiration as well as recognize what I didn’t feel worked best to suit the artist’s ideas. I plan on creating more contemporary versions of the characters within these four Fairy Tales by combining my makeup artistry as well as costume stylization to best fit the character’s disposition within each story they will be in.
Through the evolution of my artistic practice, I have discovered my growing passion for makeup artistry as well as costume stylization when combined with photography. There are so many possibilities with the inclusion of these art forms, yet I continue to try creating works that produce some kind of shock value for viewers. This shock or horror viewers may attach to my images is often due to my imagery including real people with makeup effects as well as having some kind of narrative which most individuals can relate to. With these four series of my own twisted adult versions of Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, I hope to do just that; to produce images that may shock or disturb viewers, if not shock, to at least spark an interest through the viewers’ relationship to these Fairy Tales. A photo passed by is a photo not worth taking.
Usually, within my images, I like to tell a story. In the past I have recreated non-fictional horror characters such as Elizabeth Bathory and Ted Bundy. I created each character how I pictured them in my mind after digging deeper and learning more and more details of each serial Killer’s story. With learning about these unbelievable details that had happened in real life, I wanted to portray each of these characters as realistic as possible to bring that same horror to viewers that I had felt when reading about their true histories.
Once I had recreated these non-fictional characters to draw out this strong reaction, I wanted to create some of my own stories and characters which could appear realistic. I was interested in discovering whether the recreated non-fiction or the realistic fiction would have a more powerful reaction. To my surprise, the fictional characters which I created such as a murderous Candy Man that lures children in with candy as well as the Magician and Clown duo that put on a show to attract unsuspecting viewers to their demise both had more shocking reactions than the non-fictional character recreations. Viewers would often explain that this strengthened shock value within the fictional character images was due to the fact that the characters I created were more extreme made up character creations that were relatable to their own experiences or fears; For example having a fear of strangers or fear of clowns.
After doing photos which evoked horror I decided to investigate if anyone else has done something similar. Little did I know, there are photographers whom approach photography in a similar manner and aim to evoke fear. These artists are titled Horror Photographers. Joshua Hoffine and Danielle Anathema are two Horror Photographers I’ve discovered which have a similar approach to their work as mine. Joshua Hoffine’s work commonly focuses on childhood fears. He creates his scenes like small movie sets, using special effects makeup, costumes, props, and lighting which he then photographs his ‘actors’ or children within, creating an image much like a movie still. As Hoffine states, “I try to present the images within the visual grammar of a child. I want the viewer to share their point of view, to feel their sense of vulnerability…” (Joshua Hoffine). Anathema’s images are created through a similar nature. Makeup, costumes, and props are very evident; however, the images are less like captured movie stills as Anathema uses much more post production Photoshopping to create the final product. Her images tend to be produced for a much more adult audience. Anathema explains: “The darkness can be mesmerizing, scary, romantic and humorous. Through my photography I am able to express my passion by capturing the world of horror, humor and erotica through the eye of my camera” (Anathema Photography).
After looking at various artists such as Hoffine and Anathema who use similar photography methods as I, both conceptually and by physical means of fabrication involving makeup, costumes, props and lighting, I decided for my next body of work I wanted to use various aspects I felt made these artists work so strong. For example, Hoffine’s tactic of relating his images to childhood fears allowed for all viewers to relate as everyone was or is a child; making the horror he wanted to evoke that much more successful. I felt that Hoffine’s means of creating his images by making small movie sets and using little Photoshop also made his images more fear evoking. Less Photoshop lends to a more realistic nature to the image. Anathema, on the other hand, creates horror works that are erotic and much more adult, steering away from the idea of the image being seen through a child’s eyes. I personally believe having adult imagery offers another realm of horror to the images. Just as an R-Rated horror film is often more horrifying than a PG-Rated horror film.
Relating back into my own creative images, I have decided I want to create multiple series of images that are relatable to the majority of viewers. Much like the strength of Hoffine’s work, as it was made to relate to everyone because it dealt with childhood, I decided to recreate well known Fairy Tale stories I remember from my childhood. However, I don’t want my recreated versions of Fairy Tales to be PG-Rated; as I have decided Anathema’s work was successful due to her vivid erotic undertones. In order to recreate Fairy Tales with a more adult twist, I have decided to recreate four stories with a more R-Rated nature. The stories I have chosen include: Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. I chose these stories specifically, as after researching the main Fairy Tales I remember from my childhood, these four stories had different underlying life lessons or meanings behind them that I am able to shift into my own twisted adult versions.
To create my versions of these well-known Fairy Tales, I’ve researched various books on the topic which contain multiple versions of each story as well as individual interpretations on meanings found within them. I then discovered the original stories are far more adult then the current contemporary versions which were made suitable for this era. For example, the original Little Red Riding Hood is actually called “The Story of Grandmother”, and it involves the wolf killing the Grandma before Red Riding Hood Arrives to her Grandmas house. The wolf puts the Grandma’s flesh in the pantry along with her blood in a wine bottle. Once Red Riding Hood arrives at the house he tells her to undress and grab some meat and wine from the pantry at an attempt to seduce her (The Classic Fairy Tales). The original version reads much different than the story most of us know, also much more horrifying in my opinion as it directly relates to rape of a young girl as well as bestiality and cannibalism.
The makeup and costumes play a big role in portraying these characters the way I would like viewers to read them in my new versions of the Fairy Tales. Most of my makeup inspiration is drawn from watching numerous episodes of reality TV competition shows such as Face Off and Top Model. Face Off is a search for the next greatest makeup artist which challenges various artists to do full makeups and costumes to create unique characters based off of each challenge criteria. They use a wide range of materials anywhere from foam latex faces to cotton candy hair. Top Model is the search for the next greatest model. The show consists of a large crew which involves multiple makeup artists and stylists that stylize each model for various photo shoots. There has been makeups done anywhere from zombies coming out of a crashed airplane, to becoming a wild animal. Through watching these TV shows, I am able to draw inspiration as well as recognize what I didn’t feel worked best to suit the artist’s ideas. I plan on creating more contemporary versions of the characters within these four Fairy Tales by combining my makeup artistry as well as costume stylization to best fit the character’s disposition within each story they will be in.
Through the evolution of my artistic practice, I have discovered my growing passion for makeup artistry as well as costume stylization when combined with photography. There are so many possibilities with the inclusion of these art forms, yet I continue to try creating works that produce some kind of shock value for viewers. This shock or horror viewers may attach to my images is often due to my imagery including real people with makeup effects as well as having some kind of narrative which most individuals can relate to. With these four series of my own twisted adult versions of Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, I hope to do just that; to produce images that may shock or disturb viewers, if not shock, to at least spark an interest through the viewers’ relationship to these Fairy Tales. A photo passed by is a photo not worth taking.
Bibliography
Anathema Photography. n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013 <http://anathemaphotography.com/>.
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New York: Random House Inc, 1989. Print.
Johnson, Sickels and Sayers, eds. Anthology of Children’s Literature. Fourth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company & Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1970. Print.
Joosen, Vanessa. Critical & Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales: An Intertextual Dialogue between Fairy-Tale Scholarship and Postmodern Retellings. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2011. Print.
Joshua Hoffine. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013 <http://www.joshuahoffine.com/#/1>.
The Brothers Grimm. Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales. San Diego: Canterbury Classics/Baker & Taylor Publishing Group, 2011. Print.
The Classic Fairy Tales. A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1999. Print.
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New York: Random House Inc, 1989. Print.
Johnson, Sickels and Sayers, eds. Anthology of Children’s Literature. Fourth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company & Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1970. Print.
Joosen, Vanessa. Critical & Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales: An Intertextual Dialogue between Fairy-Tale Scholarship and Postmodern Retellings. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2011. Print.
Joshua Hoffine. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013 <http://www.joshuahoffine.com/#/1>.
The Brothers Grimm. Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales. San Diego: Canterbury Classics/Baker & Taylor Publishing Group, 2011. Print.
The Classic Fairy Tales. A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1999. Print.