Lilian Harris
Newtown High School of Performing Arts
GULOSUS
Time-Based Forms
Stop-motion animation
My body of work represents gluttony in contemporary culture. I used stop motion, taking one photo every 6 seconds, and added over 130 individual sound effects and foley sounds. I was influenced by the vanitas style in traditional paintings and contemporary photography as well as a genre of online videos called Mukbang (Korean for ‘eating show’), where people consume massive amounts of food for viewers to watch. My intent is for my work to be alluring yet disturbing; for the viewer to be confronted by the menu, but also relate to it, to see my opinion on greed and vanity.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Pes, Reynold Reynolds, Jan Švankmajer.
Marker's Commentary
This meticulously fabricated animation knowingly makes references to a number of art genres and conventions as well as social media troupes. The subversive power of surrealism and film history is demonstrated in this Absurdist animation. The scene of the meal and its associated preparation presents a sophisticated internalised critique on consumerism and social media’s association acutely revealed or possibly influenced with the binge eating antics of Mukbang podcasts. The stop motion animation is flawless in its execution highlighting a technically competent understanding of this process to ensure the meter and resolution of the film is sustained throughout the animation. The stylised sets, effective lighting, well directed actors with multifaceted transitions employed to produce this highly engaging and anarchical film.