Thoughts About Monsters II

Okay so more thoughts about monsters because like I stated before, this is what my studio art is revolved around, this idea/concept of monster.

I explained in this post that the thing that unifies all monsters is that for some reason they are unapproachable, whether they be friendly monsters or evil monsters. Okay so there's the base for this monster discussion: all monsters are unapproachable.

As I've been working with film and just thinking about how to make an experimental video about monsters, I've realized that so many films just flatten monsters out and I didn't want to do that because that's boring. Why is this the case? Well, I believe that film makes monsters approachable so then arises the question-is a monster still a monster if you approach it? Well yes was my initial thought because monster still do exist and monsters are approached. Also there are unapproachable things out there that are not monsters. So what needs to be there if this thing is to remain a monster if one approaches it? There's a few things that I think need to be there, mostly in that there still needs to remain an element of the unknown or confusion, not fully understanding or knowing a monster. Once you can fully empathize, relate or understand a monster, that thing is no longer a monster. I think part of this confusion is that there needs to still remain a bestial nature to it in that it could still attack and harm you without a second's notice, it could just snap. Kind of like how dogs, even well trained ones can just snap and become vicious if they smell a certain smell. Not saying pets are monsters, but monsters need to have that element to them in that we like them but don't fully understand their nature and they can attack and seriously harm if not kill you in a blink of an eye. Something like that.

So that train of thought got me thinking, this idea of okay so you have these other two elements about monsters: you can't fully understand/know them and they have this bestial nature, ability to attack and harm you. Yet monsters today are celebrated and well-loved, even the evil ones. For some reason I was thinking about zombies in this(which I'll talk about later) which then made me think about death-isn't death the ultimate monster? Even though in ways it's fantasized about, it's probably one of the most unapproachable things out there. Yet we do approach it. We try to understand it but we never really will and it always has the ability to attack and consume someone and in fact is the fate of every living thing. Death is the ultimate monster.

Okay so back to zombies and well other cult-followed monsters. I've come to the conclusion that they aren't really monsters. So many film monsters aren't or originally were but no longer are. They defy these important aspects that all monsters need to have, especially in that we understand them, what to expect. That more than anything kills a monster. Anyways, I've made two experimental films so far for a series titles " No Longer a Monster, Just _____".
The first is with King Kong-"No Longer a Monster, Just Misunderstood". Then vampires(nosferatu+sexyback as music) for "No Longer a Monster, Just a Sex Symbol". Next one with be for zombies, "No Longer a Monster, Just Popular"(or something like that, it's a working title).

That's all I've thought through but there's still a few other questions that I need to think through such as "are monsters a state or is a permanent thing" and "are monsters born or are they made?". And hopefully these will lead to more questions about monsters.

Now I just need to make some thing art revolving around these ideas.

I do have some ideas which I guess I'll state because tied to thinking about these things is then "okay so what do I make from these ideas". First with idea of approaching a monster there's the thought of "okay, so how close do you want to get to it?". My idea right now is doing a sculpture where basically a hang a huge sheet of black faux fur from the ceiling somehow and do that same effect as I did with my painting, covering it with petroleum jelly,egg and lots of fish sauce and seeing how close people actually want to get to it.

I already explained with what I'm doing about my thoughts about what film has done to monsters.

I think I'm going to try to do an experimental film or animation surrounding death because it is the ultimate monster. I'm not sure what I'm going to do though.

I have some ideas about the whole monster state thing, both with video and painting. Don't think I'll share those for now though because it isn't really fully conceptualized.

So yes, lots of ideas, but like I said, I just need to frickin' make these things now. Oh yes and don't stop thinking because this is an interesting rabbit hole I'm going down.

~Lauren