Chris Woods' ambitious and complex Sandstorm project becomes more interesting with this latest addition: a self-portrait of the artist as George Lucas. Watch the video, then go help fund the project on Indiegogo!
Indiegogo: Sandstorm: One Fan's Elegy to the Original STAR WARS Trilogy
The Chilliwack Times has a great piece on artist Chris Woods' upcoming Sandstorm project. Sandstorm is a solo art show Woods is now preparing for display in summer 2013. It will feature 14 epic-scale oil paintings of Star Wars topics. From the article:
Chris Woods opens a large resealable bag in his downtown Chilliwack studio and pulls out a yellowing, child's exercise book.
It's not an antique nor a grandfather's journal; it's not even that old. One line on the cover says "Chris" and below that, "ART!!!!!"
So why is an accomplished artist--with major magazine covers to his name, 18 solo exhibitions across North America and praise from the likes of pop culturist Douglas Coupland--showing off drawings he did as a seven-year-old? Two words: Star Wars.
Thirty-five years ago Woods was doodling X-wing and TIE fighters in his grade-school art book like the rest of us.
Today, he's back at it with his latest project tackling the iconic science fiction films from a unique angle.
For most males in their early 40s, the films in George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy of 1977, 1980 and 1983 constitute mythic cinema.
These aren't just science fiction films. Star Wars, the Emprire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi became epic tales that integrated fantasy with the fabric of childhoods across North America.
"By re-examining films that played a major role in the formative years of my generation I hope to examine what my childhoood eyes may have missed," Woods says.
See my previous blog post for more information about Sandstorm, including how you can support the project on Indiegogo and get drawings and paintings from the exhibit.
Vancouver-area artist Chris Woods (@ChrisWoodsArt) has been invited to mount a solo show in the summer of 2013 at The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, BC (just outside Vancouver). The show will feature fourteen epic-scale oil-paintings on canvas looking at the original Star Wars trilogy through the eyes of Darth Vader:
The series I plan to show at The Reach will take an unusual look at a phenomenon that rests at the very foundation of modern popular culture: the original Star Wars Trilogy. By reexamining films that played a major role in the formative years of my generation I hope to examine what our childhood eyes may have missed.
The central idea of this new series, to be titled SANDSTORM, will be to look at the events of Star Wars from the perspective of the trilogy’s primary antagonist, Darth Vader. Even though we see Vader as a two-dimensional monster, his mask actually disguises a highly nuanced, and very human character. By flipping the narrative of the Star Wars Trilogy I intend to look beyond Hollywood’s ‘good-guy/bad-guy’ adventure-movie clichés.
Darth Vader’s journey to the dark side serves as a meditation on the nature of evil in the modern age. It also serves as entry point into understanding the mysterious forces that can slowly erode and distort the better human qualities we all share as individuals. Vader’s life followed a tragic arc that has many parallels in history and the history of painting.
These themes will be tackled in SANDSTORM through fourteen epic-scale oil-paintings on canvas inspired by 19th century French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix. Delacroix was obsessed with painting scenes from epics by Dante, Virgil and Shakespeare. I see the Star Wars Trilogy as the most popular myth of our time, just as Delacroix saw The Divine Comedy, The Aeneid and Hamletas the popular myths of his time.
Woods is looking to raise $14,000 through Indiegogo to mount his exhibit. In return for support, he is offering a large number of interesting perks, from prints and drawings to actual paintings. Learn more about the project by watching Woods' Indiegogo video:
This looks like a very interesting project. The themes Woods is tackling are reminiscent of those I address in A Long Time Ago, although tackled from a totally different perspective and in a visual medium. The exhibit's near home for me, so I'll definitely be going next year.
Follow the link to Indiegogo to support Woods' project, or visit his Facebook page to learn more.
Indiegogo: Star Wars Inspired Museum Exhibition 'Sandstorm' by Chris Woods
Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 5:36PM