Thread: Freakish realistic 3D...art?

Okay, I suppose I agree with you there Nina

They didn't really seem that shocking to me, other than their weird sizes. The detail and realism is so amazing. I wonder if they look that real IRL.

I see Aquanina's point. However, if he wants to draw in crowds and earn money then it's much easier to use the shock value.

People like to be scared.

In my opinion he's taking the type of work that Claes Oldenburg did of reproducing ordinary objects at a very unordinary scale - but he's taking it a step further by a) incorporating more of the human element and b) reproducing with a realism that makes the piece believable in our "real" world.

If there's any intention in "schocking" the viewer, it's with regards to those two attributes. 50 years ago androneous people spooning, a giant newborn, or some naked fat dude may have come across as risque, but these days it's really not (at least to most people).

I can't tell if Nina's dismissing his work as a gimmick to shock, or if she's actually suggesting he can take the idea even furhter than he has already - either way, I think sculpting "idealized" figures might actually make his work seem less "artsy" and more commercial. We see the idealized bodies everyday on TV, movies and magazines. What would his message be in mirroring that class? Maybe he's really just making us look at ourselves in these pieces - the old, humble, ordinary.

That being said, I'd sell my home and all its contents to own a 30ft, anatomically correct Jessica Alba from this guy!!!

I think Nina would be right in dismissing a lot of art as a gimmick.
Sawn-in-half cows and pickled great white sharks and some of the other stuff in galleries these days.

I'm just not so sure that this guy can be put into that category.

I think there's too much work involved in what he does, too much careful labour.

The gimmicky art is usually all intellect and no physical imput, and you can usually sense the sneering cynicism of the artist behind it.

This stuff seems too sincere. You get the sense he actually put his heart into those sculptures.

Originally Posted by Aquanina

Are you nuts? They are both GUYS. See the facial hair? Receding hairlines. Hairy legs. Yeah. GAY COUPLE. Hello...SHOCK VALUE. Psh...

Edit: Actually the one on the left seems to have a feminine body...which is confusing, because it looks like they have a beard and receding hairline. I'm confused and disturbed about that one.

The one in front is definitely female. She has breasts and does not have hairy legs. They look to me like a normal couple that is not perfectly beautiful. And honestly, are you so closed minded that you think a gay couple can only be portrayed for shock value? I think you are the one that missed the point entirely.

Except for the infant, I actually do find these pieces beautiful (and yes, sometimes creepy). I'm sorry that some people can't find beauty in asymmetry, old-age, or imperfect skin.

To add another dimension to the whole "shock factor" concept:

Perhaps it is about shock factor, but not in the 'gimmicky' sense. Maybe shock-factor (assuming, for the sake of argument, that that is what he was going for) is something that appeals to him - not something that he's incorporating into his art, simply to "please that crowd."

For example: I like a lot of anime. One could look through my portfolio(s) and see mad anime pictures, all over the place, and say "This guy is simply appealing to the anime fan-base, because it's so huge and full of adolescents that will just eat his pictures up, without having any understanding of how simple (stylistically) they are to create". Though feasible, that person would be completely wrong. I do a lot of anime, because I love the anime style. It has nothing to do with "pleasing" those who are browsing my artwork.

Though, not having to worry about my work (so far) getting displayed in well-renowned galleries (besides net-galleries, like Deviant art), I have to think a lot less about that than this guy probably does, so there is a good chance he does pay more attention to a certain target audience, but I definitely wouldn't go so far as to assume that that is his reason for doing the type of work he does.

^The man speaks truth.^

That settles the debate for me.

Well, okay Aquanina,...so he should mix it up eh?

As many said before this, I think he may be trying to avoid the idealistic "beautiful woman", and rather, showing beauty, and creativity in the somewhat disturbing things he does show.

Would you have been more satisfied had the man been slim and muscular?

Would you have been more satisfied had it been the ideal image of a baby in a mother's arms?

Would you have been more satisfied had the head been on the body?

Would you have been more satisfied had the gay couple been an ideal man and woman couple, both slim, and well formed?

Take it for what it is...our world today seems so incredibly mundane, with so many taboos, that I commend this artist for the "shock value" or "freak show" you call it. Does that make it any less fantastic, or artistic? No,He had the courage to do it...So why mix it up? We've got enough perfect "model-bodied" figures out there...don't need to fill museams with the typical shallow image of "beauty".

Don't try to wriggle out and tell me that it was "just an example", because, if you were in charge of a museam, such as this, for this type of art, something tells me most exhibits would be slim and "beautiful" women...and not "mixed up a bit"...and it would be a whole lot less interesting...

So, in order to prove my point, Same sculpture, different angle.



Clearly this is a man and a woman. It is obvious that anyone who believes this to be a homosexual couple is shocked by the image of two average individuals and is looking for some way to call it shocking. Claiming it homosexual shows two things; A) you are frightened by the average human form and B) Homosexuality is the best you can come up with when trying to find a reason why it is shocking. Both of those things speak badly of you in my opinion.

I think we should just chalk it up to "you had to be there" to really get it. In pics, it looks a little "Calvin Kelin"-ish. But, in person there probably wouldn't have been anything to discuss.

Interesting how it DID manage to raise some discussion, though. Perhaps he should have made it even more ambiguous.

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

So, in order to prove my point, Same sculpture, different angle.



Clearly this is a man and a woman. It is obvious that anyone who believes this to be a homosexual couple is shocked by the image of two average individuals and is looking for some way to call it shocking. Claiming it homosexual shows two things; A) you are frightened by the average human form and B) Homosexuality is the best you can come up with when trying to find a reason why it is shocking. Both of those things speak badly of you in my opinion.

You're being very generalizing. When I read the other posts in this thread, I actually thought it was a male couple. Now I see it's male and female. I don't really see why people would need an "explanation". Also, most people in here are very tolerant.

No-one posted the video yet?

http://blip.tv/file/94203

When I started to watch it, I didn't know what it was about. I thought the woman was a photograph.

Insane skill, that guy has. The human body is extremely hard to copy in a way it looks realistic.

Thanks Neruo, I watched the whole thing. Made me nervous just seeing him taking the cast out.

Excellent find, Neu!!

Holly crap, this guy can SCULPT!
And then his original work gets destroyed in the molding process

I'd be in tears!!