PingMag's POSTCARD EXHIBITION

100 artists from around the globe customised postcards from home with some fun results which can be seen HERE. Also as a reminder, the postcard appeal is still open as ever to anyone willing to help.


Links:
Postcard Exhibition
PingMag (source)

LA MACHINE's "Princess"

François Delarozière, formerly of Royal de Luxe has branched out on his own with his company La Machine. His latest design, a giant Spider named "Princess" will be wandering the streets of Liverpool(5-7 Sep 2008) as part of the city's year as "Capital of Culture".

Here are some figures for the show:

THE CREATURE
Weight – 37 tonnes
Height – 50 feet high
50 hydraulic axes of movement
Made from steel and reclaimed poplar
Moves at 2 miles per hour
Took 1 year to build

SPECIAL EFFECTS
7 different special effects:
Water • Flame • Smoke • Wind • Snow • Light • Sound

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:
16 different cranes:
25 tonnes - 300 tonnes
300 different crane lifts
6 Forklift Trucks
8 Cherry Pickers

PERSONNEL
66 people in the French company
20 British musicians
250-strong technical and support crew

Links:
La Machine (UK)
La Machine (France)
Artichoke
Matthew Andrews
Royal de Luxe (SiouxWIRE)

So Yong Kim's TREELESS MOUNTAIN

Early word on So Yong Kim's Treeless Mountain is promising following on from her first feature In Between Days. This is Kim's statement on the film:

"TREELESS MOUNTAIN is inspired by events from my early childhood in Pusan, Korea. My mother divorced our father and left us with our grandparents on a rice farm. She immigrated to America in order to find a better life for herself and to build a future for her children. At the time of these events we were too young to understand and our mother did not tell us what was happening. I began writing the film to search for certain lost memories from this period of my life and also as a letter to my mother.

As the story began to take shape, Jin, the main character, took on her own distinctive personality and blossomed. As the writing progressed, the story and the characters began to separate from actual events from my life. Jin's emotional and physical journey became the main force of the story. As in the case of the Aimie character in IN BETWEEN DAYS, I used my personal memories and experience as the starting point to develop Jin, and then allowed her to dictate her own journey.


TREELESS MOUNTAIN is a simple story about a six-year-old girl, Jin, and her journey to early maturity. Jin's sensitivity and the complexity of the emotions stem from her desire to have her family life back. She must let go of everything she has known in order to persevere. In this sense TREELESS MOUNTAIN is an intimate portrait of a young girl and a classic coming-of-age story. I wanted to tell the story of Jin in order to celebrate her resilience in life."

Links:
So Yong Kim interview (IndieWIRE)
Treeless Mountain review (Twitch)
Treeless Mountain review (Spout.com)
Treeless Mountain official site

Featurette: TIM SIMMONS

Tim Simmons has some interesting work in his portfolio. The surreal landscapes are particularly enchanting though it's somewhat disappointing that there isn't an artists' statement on his site. On an aesthetic level, I really like the blanket of artifice that the lights and extended exposure give to the natural scenes while at the same time, I can't help but think how a logo or catchphrase wouldn't look out of place within their frames.




Links:
Tim Simmons
FAS Contemporary Art

MICHEL DE BROIN's "Superficial"

I'm just getting acquainted with Michel de Broin's work. The featured work here is Superficial, to which had the following to say:

"Upon invitation to reflect on the notion of transparency, that led me into the forest to envelop the contour of a large stone with fragments of mirror. The large stone, tucked away deep in the woods, became a reflective surface for its surroundings. In this play of splintered radiance, the rock disappears in its reflections. Because it reflects one cannot be mislead by its presence, yet we cannot seize it, rather it is the rock that reflects us."

Images of Michel de Broin's Superficial, Mirror, glue, cement / Vosges, Alsace, France 2004

Links:
Michel de Broin
Michel de Broin (Artnews)
Michel de Broin (VOX)