Letter Eleven: wax man series, animations

I’m in my room, sitting on my stool, staring at the white wall in front of me. It reflects the muted light entering from the city.
The wax man sits on his bench on top of the pilaster. The dog stands next to him. Both are still.

In wax man walks, the wax man searches for Hawk and speaks with his movement. I created a system of armatures for the wax man. He is dependent upon them, and each movement is dependent on the one before it. Each movement is documented with photographs and then I used digital editing video software to create the animation.

Keeping the original brownish tint of lighting, and also keeping the armatures and wire exposed, reveals the relationship that the wax man has to his setting and space, the room I live and work in with my simple props and mechanisms. It keeps a certain integrity intact. It is a beginner’s effort as it is for the wax man learning to walk.

The second episode is called wax man and dog on bench. The wax man was waiting for Hawk to appear, but the dog appeared instead.

The last episode, wax man wants to fly, speaks of his efforts to shed an ordinary self and metaphorically become the hawk. The animation shows an external transformation of becoming a hawk, but it is a metaphor for an internal transformation.

These animations represent the beginning of a new art practice, which I will continue to work on. It is interesting how one can change depending on intention and with kind guidance and effort.

I hope you enjoy them.