The day is nearly upon us as the Watchmen film arrives in the cinema. I feel a lot of trepidation in waiting to see this film as we doubtless about to be swamped with a lot hype. There is a tendency to forget how despised comics were before the break through of the Watchmen, Dark Knight, Hernandez Brothers' Love & Rockets and Maus. We have had Batman done twice from Miller's Dark Knight, but all the Alan Moore projects have proved 'too comprised' to the graphic format.
League of Extradordinary Gentlemen was hideous. From Hell didn't have the time to do justice to layers of the story. One of the best bits was when Gull rode round the London explaining the psychogeography to his accomplice. V for Vendetta was a terrible ending and the fight scene, why oh why.
The Watchmen is part of my history as I was there at the British Comic con, where Messrs Moore and Gibbons talked about the beginnings of the Watchmen and some of the up & coming story lines. One of the issues to look out was the Rorschach origin, which has identical panels from the centre pages (like a rorschach card) or the fantastic colouring, where a lamp's strobe effect lights and then darkens the next panel, before lighting up in the next. These little touches with great design and layout, alongside Alan's writing and dense plotting, made it truly great at the time as still does.
There are points in history that seem so strange looking back and although they can be described as epic changing, you sometimes wonder what all the fuss was about or why should that personage be so special. I find it difficult to describe the waiting for the next issue or the twists and turns of the story. It was like the serialisations of Dicken's work and the ships bringing the news of Little Nell (from the Old Curiosity Shop) to the States as readers waited to find out the next part of the story.
At the time, the comics audience (in the UK/USA, I should say) were waiting the great leap forward, but I think we have seen incremental increases over the period (of 20 years) and most shops have a graphic novel section. My libraries have a section as well and I can remember the thrill of finding it there for the first time. Although, I still have arguments with my family over the validity of comics and how it is 'not real art or childish'. One of the few things that will press the red button and stand well back.
Can the Watchmen be unwound from its comics beginnings and be re-imagined for a different auidence without unsettling the original fans? I think we will have just to wait and see.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
All in the Round
Recently, I have been to Wimbledon Art College's gallery. On display was work of a theatre designer, Richard Negri, who was active between 1952 to 1996. Although, I have worked in the theatre, when I was at Bolton art college and performed in the Kingsdown 250th celebratory community play in Bristol, The Nine Trees' Shade. This application for creativity and the arts, is something that I have never looked at closely. It is a specialised subject and in someways, I would see the play rather than the world it was set in.
The exhibition was pictures of the characters in the play and layout for set design. The style of how the characters would fit within an overall production was laid out across these portraits. Depending on the production it was 7 or 8, but on the larger production 20 or so characters. There were some small figurines that would be used for modelling on a miniature stage, allowing for the practical details to be worked out first.
One of the things, I found out was Mr Negri had designed the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester. One of the most impressive and unusual theatres in the country. The theatre building was placed into an old Victorian building,
There were several marquette's showing the various ideas and designs of how the theatre should be laid out. What is unique in this professional theatre is that the stage is surrounded by the audience. There is no back drop, all the props and stage setting has to be brought in and laid out.
Richard Negri was shown on an audio-visual display talking about how he wanted to put actors
in the centre of the stage. This creates a seamless space between the audience and the actors, you feel as those you are part of the action. Even if you are looking down from the gallery seats, the audience is seeing a spot light on a scene and looking like gods down on the play.
Negri used the phrase, picture frame theatres having only been a 'recent' invention during the 18th century, whereas Greek, Medieval and Tudor-Stuart staging was usually in the round. The Globe theatre on the Thames, which every one should go too, if they get the chance to visit London. Standing in the 'pit' you are drawn into the action on to the stage jutting out into the audience.
The comment about a picture frame has started me thinking about the flat plane of an image and how by being included in the frame, your perception can change. The differences between pictures and sculpture, maybe a obvious comment and one that I should see, but sometimes as an artist you become wrapped up in your own views and need just the odd reminder to 'jump the tracks' now and again.
The exhibition was pictures of the characters in the play and layout for set design. The style of how the characters would fit within an overall production was laid out across these portraits. Depending on the production it was 7 or 8, but on the larger production 20 or so characters. There were some small figurines that would be used for modelling on a miniature stage, allowing for the practical details to be worked out first.
One of the things, I found out was Mr Negri had designed the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester. One of the most impressive and unusual theatres in the country. The theatre building was placed into an old Victorian building,
There were several marquette's showing the various ideas and designs of how the theatre should be laid out. What is unique in this professional theatre is that the stage is surrounded by the audience. There is no back drop, all the props and stage setting has to be brought in and laid out.
Richard Negri was shown on an audio-visual display talking about how he wanted to put actors
in the centre of the stage. This creates a seamless space between the audience and the actors, you feel as those you are part of the action. Even if you are looking down from the gallery seats, the audience is seeing a spot light on a scene and looking like gods down on the play.
Negri used the phrase, picture frame theatres having only been a 'recent' invention during the 18th century, whereas Greek, Medieval and Tudor-Stuart staging was usually in the round. The Globe theatre on the Thames, which every one should go too, if they get the chance to visit London. Standing in the 'pit' you are drawn into the action on to the stage jutting out into the audience.
The comment about a picture frame has started me thinking about the flat plane of an image and how by being included in the frame, your perception can change. The differences between pictures and sculpture, maybe a obvious comment and one that I should see, but sometimes as an artist you become wrapped up in your own views and need just the odd reminder to 'jump the tracks' now and again.
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