Sandy Skoglund makes very large dioramas. I love their eerie and surreal quality, especially Radioactive Cats (ya gotta love that title). She taught photography at the Hartford Art School, where I went to college. Fun fact: The woman and boy in Revenge of the Goldfish were my teacher and her son! click here!
Post a response about one or more of her works. Be sure to include the title of the piece you are referencing.
40 comments:
My favorite dioramas would have to be Revenge of the Goldfish and Germs are Everywhere. The Revenge of the Goldfish does a great job of showing how overwhelming the life of a goldfish can be. Not many people consider how invasive they are when they push their noses up to a fish tank, and this diorama captures this sentiment. At least fifty goldfish are surrounding two humans who are simply going through their daily motions. These humans seem resigned to the fact that they can't do anything about these goldfish, even though the goldfish are disruptive to them.
Germs are Everywhere does a very nice job of contrasting colors to highlight the "germs" that are present in the diorama. The germs cover the diorama in such a uniform way that they almost form a pattern that blends in with the green color. This portrays how we don't notice that these germs are part of everything we do and touch.
My favorite diorama was Fox Games. I like the way the red foxes contrast with the grey of the dining area. The clothes and expressions of the people being served, as well as the decorations of the room portray a sense of formality. The grey color and overall bland look of the fancy room shows that the artist believes formality is boring and unexciting. The use of many red foxes contrasting with the dull grey room shows the desire for liveliness and the unexpected in a world of bland formality. In addition the choice of animal being a fox may comment on the lies and insincere behavior of those social "elites" that experience formality in their everyday lives because the fox is often portrayed as a lying creature in myths.
My favorites would probably have to be Radioactive Cats and Sock Situation. I think Sock Situation was a clever name that related to what was is a very relatable problem. I like the way that the single toned background and the pops of color from the objects in question make something that looks almost like a print. The colors make things pop, and it seems both realistic and alien at the same time. I also liked Radioactive Cats. I thought there was something related to the refrigerator and how that sometimes is related to radioactivity. I think cats are kind of mysterious and silent,there but not too obvious. The fact that they're everywhere and neither of the people notice kind of show how radioactivity cannot be seen by others. I also like cats.
My favorite diorama was Gathering Paradise. As I was scrolling through the list it caught my eye because of how the dark blue squirrels stand out against the all pink background. I also liked that there were no people in the diorama that really drew your attention (there was one pink man in the background), so that the focus could really be on the multitude squirrels and what they could be doing. The title is what made it really interesting to me. Everyone knows that squirrels gather food in preparation for winter, so I thought this could be a parallel to that, but commenting not on the idea of storing food but of finding happiness, and that's what all the squirrels are searching for.
My favorite dioramas were REVENGE OF THE GOLDFISH and WALKING ON EGGSHELLS. I love how the first one has such perceivable depth because of the shadows and darkness at the back corner. The colors are also very appealing, using complementary colors really makes both colors stand out, also making it look like the goldfish are in an underwater scene, gracefully swimming. It may represent the goldfish that the people have had and not taken care of, therefore now haunt their dreams.And although the second diorama's colors are much more neutral and blended, all the different textures and materials/figures making up that one general color make it very interesting. When I first saw it I thought "Egyptian", although I'm not really sure that's what it's trying to represent. I also find it intriguing how the ground is covered in eggs, and the spots where the figures stepped are visibly smashed. It could possibly represent the dangers of stepping into a bathroom...
Revenge of the Goldfish is the most interesting diorama , in my opinion. I'm sure a lot of kids, myself included, have owned fish as pets at some point in their lives. They have a reputation of being a really boring pet– it's not like you can teach them how to do tricks. Before you realize it, they're dead and being flushed down the toilet. Back to the diorama. The blue toned walls and furniture give an underwater vibe to the room and, paired with the title "Revenge of the Goldfish" has a really ominous tone to it, especially considering the multitude of goldfish compared to the two measly humans.
I like all of them. I think it's amazing that these things are life sized. I really like the way that the colors of items in the rooms contrast with the rooms' background. I also enjoy the way that the people in each of the dioramas are oblivious to the swarm of animals surrounding them. My favorite would have to be Radioactive cats mainly because of the background. She did a really good job creating that dingy apartment!
A more general comment first: I love the way Skoglund uses color! The weird, unexpected elements in her dioramas (like foxes and fish) really contrast against the ordinary backdrops of each. That said, my favorites are probably GERMS ARE EVERYWHERE and WALKING ON EGGSHELLS. I like GERMS ARE EVERYWHERE firstly because I'm a sucker for a lime-green/pink-lemonade color combo and secondly (mostly) because it's true-- germs are everywhere, and Skoglund exhibits this with a more subtle contrast than in many of her other works because the germs are so little. My other favorite, WALKING ON EGGSHELLS, is probably one of the weirdest pieces of art I've ever seen. Until I saw the title, I didn't get it. But I think the diorama is a really cool portrayal of vulnerability-- walking naked on eggshells in a bathroom full of snakes (and rabbits?) is taking a walk on the wild side.
My favorite diorama would probably be Germs are Everywhere. I like how it really illustrates that nothing is purely clean. No matter how much you think an object is clean, there will always be germs on it. The coloration highlights the germs as near invisible, yet very apparent. Just because something looks clean does not actually mean it is clean and this diorama illustrates this clearly.
Revenge of the goldfish was the only one that made sense to me. I look at the guy sitting on the bed and identify him quickly as the focus of the piece. When I see the others, other than walking on eggshells, they just don't make sense to me. All of the background creatures seem out of place. The colors don't match, there is no order to their movement and it doesn't seem like the chaos is intentional or symbolic of anything. The fish are swarming the room and have an overwhleming presence. Because of the lack of interaction between the man an fish though, it seems they are figments of his imagination, as though they were the only image the man could manage at the moment. The revenge is made up of the anxiety, maybe a bit of regret. The thought of the fish, which is what I feel their positioning is consuming the man. It's solid art.
I liked "Germs Are Everywhere". The contrast in color wasn't as great as some of the other dioramas but it was very real. Germs really are everywhere and she showed how we just live with them. I liked the placement of the person and how relaxed they were. Germs are everywhere and it makes the diorama eery but I like it.
There was something about "Germs Are Everywhere" that stood out to me. The diorama was not as vibrantly colored as many of her other pieces, but the monotone green shade highlighted the bits of peach-colored germs spread rather evenly throughout the diorama. There was almost an eerie feeling to the scene depicted: an older woman casually watching TV, something that many of us do ourselves; the picture frames are mysteriously empty. The main non-green color in the diorama is the purple plant, which is made more vivid by the natural contrast between purple and green. I liked "Sock Situation" as well because I find the scene funny, and because of the contrast between the red and the green--it's almost like a scene out of a bad Christmas movie!
My favorite was Revenge of the Goldfish. She has a great use of space, not just on the ground but in mid-air as well. The fish are overwhelming but the people don't seem to notice them. Also, the color contrast is nice because it automatically draws my eye to the bright orange fish, instead of the humans. The humans are also orange but a more dull orange. Usually the attention is drawn to humans in paintings and the fish are just a minor detail/decoration (but still bright orange), but in this piece, the fish are the main subjects. The humans and fish are the same colors as they'd usually be, just the fish are exaggerated because otherwise they would go unnoticed. It's a nice change of pace for the viewer's eyes.
My favorite diorama was Revenge of the Goldfish. I'm not sure what it represents, but it seemed very cool and cartoony. I felt like it was a really fun bit of art. Especially considering goldfish are relatively insignificant, but in this piece they consume everything. It was a really great piece to look at.
I like the Radioactive Cats and Fox Games pieces for a few reasons. One, I like the use of the gray background b/c it really makes the animals stick out with their vibrant color and beautiful detail. Secondly, the movement of the animals (in some of the other pieces as well) is fantastic and really captures the essence of the true nature of the creatures.
My favorite diorama would be Germs are Everywhere. I like this one primarily because of the contrast between the lime and the pinkish microbes/bacteria that are actually crawling over the place. I think this contrast is interesting because I often associate germs with a green, so I think Sandy Skoglund is playing with that idea. I also think it's interesting to think about the fact that the microbes/germs crawling around are pink enough to blend in with the green background, so the viewer has to make them out; and this plays into the title of the piece.
The Walking on Eggshells piece is my favourite of the dioramas shown because it's so raw (PUNS!)and multi-dimensional. There are a lot of different ways to interpret it, and I think that's what art is about. The colours are carefully neutral, and the snakes and people symbolically posed. The artist makes good use of texture, both with the eggshells and the bathroom setting. The title ties the whole thing together, allowing a certain kind of personal sense to be made of it. It is aesthetically pleasing, and uses colours that perpetuate its message that subtlety and danger often coexist.
The two that I enjoyed most would have to be "Revenge of the Goldfish" and "Sock Situation". In the Sock situation I was drawn to the three men, all dressed in tuxedos, two of which having 'matching' black bow-ties, and the contrast of color of the mannequin on the far left wearing a bright red bow-tie from not only the other two men but also the background color scheme. For some reason I enjoyed the socks all over the place, usually people (I) have a tendency to just take my socks off and leave them where they lie, and while that's usually on the floor, majority of the socks in this diorama are everywhere but the floor.
Revenge of the Goldfish, the use of a blue background to mimic the color of the water seemed pretty cool, almost as if the goldfish had taken over and altered the reality in the room. The goldfish are colored in a orangish-gold color and the woman in the bed is also that color possibly linking the two in some way. Maybe that's the owner and she's managed to flush a handful of goldfish down the toilet and this is a still moment of them coming for revenge?...
I liked Skoglund's diorama, "Sock Situation," because the image and the title had a humorous effect (to me). It looks like a real life interaction of people trying find their socks, which are in weird places like on the walls, in the fridge, hanging on things. I liked the contrasting colors of the green walls and people and the orange socks. The orange really makes them pop, which further enforces how funny the situation is.
I also like the Fox Game because fox can be called "game", but in this picture the fox look like they are playing a game. It also shows how people are oblivious to animals/wildlife, even if they are visually so apparent (colored bright red).
I liked revenge of the goldfish because it reminds me of all those unfortunate goldfish that died in my care. Most of the goldfish given out as prizes at fairs and the like die quickly and it's interesting to think they might all come back for revenge. I also like the color contrast between blue and shades of orange it makes the goldfish really pop.
Sydney Kenton said...
My favorite dioramas were The Green House and Revenge of the Goldfish. I like in revenge of the goldfish how the fish seemed to be swimming in midair. It, in turn, made the scene look very surreal and peaceful. This scene reminded me of my childhood with a mobile-like look. I also like how she uses contrasting colors based on the color wheel. I liked The Green House because at first glance, you only really see blue dogs in a green house. When you look closer, you notice the many green dogs as well as the blue dogs in the house. It's almost like playing a game of "I Spy", but less difficult.
My two favorite dioramas were Revenge of the Goldfish and Radioactive Cats. With Revenge of the Goldfish I like the way the goldfish are suspended in the air like they are actually swimming around the room. This is probably intentional but I like how the background is blue, like water. The other one I really enjoyed was Radioactive Cats. What I like about it is that, apart from the cats being neon green, this is a scene you could probably find in a house somewhere. Extreme cat hoarders, crazy cat ladies. Either way, cats really do behave that way, climbing on top of everything, being curious and whatnot.
I liked all of the dioramas by Skoglund, but my favorite pieces were Revenge of the Goldfish & The Green House. Revenge of the Goldfish had such harsh contrasting colors that made me interested in understanding the scene. The contrast in colors also highlighted the juxtaposition of the realistic and surreal pieces in the diorama. The water-like blue of the girl’s room and goldfish orange in such a large depiction also made the piece more interesting. I think the larger a sculpture or diorama is the more relatable and understandable it is for the viewer. The Green House diorama was beautiful and like Revenge of The Goldfish with the main color serving for all the realistic things made unreal by them being made from grass.
My top three favorite dioramas would have to be "Fox Games", "Revenge of the Goldfish", and The Green House. I like the bold colors that were used to contrast with their backgrounds, to me it makes the animals look more prominent. I really like how the fish in Revenge of the Goldfish look as if they are actually swimming around in the room. By the room being blue it looks as if this piece is centered in water; and also by it all being shown in a bedroom with people in the bed, it can be seen as if this were to be a dream of sorts.
I really loved The Green House." I thought the color palette was the most eye catching compared to the other pieces, and the squiggly lamps are awesome, of course. The use of grass/astroturf in a living room setting is really interesting, and combining that with the unnatural color of the dogs makes me wonder what Skoglund was trying to convey.
I really like the Revenge of the Goldfish. I think it is actually quite funny that this is the title because when it reminds me of the amount of goldfish that are mass bred as pets. The diorama is similar to a fish tank environment and the blue background make it seem like the decorations are the furniture and the two people. I think this piece could also be interpreted that the two people are intruders to the goldfishes' world.
I think that her style is really interesting and that some of these are hilarious (like The Sock Situation). She's obviously really talented to make everything look simultaneously so realistic and surreal, especially in The Green House. I think it's my favorite because of her use of color and texture. I love the way she makes the dogs tell stories with their positioning and the way the curtains in the background contrast against the grass. Generally these are really interesting and cool, although her style doesn't change that much from piece to piece like some of the other artists we've looked at do which makes each one stand out less when they're all right next to each other.
Radioactive Cats is definitely one that stands out from the rest (though, they are all truly amazing). The first thing that draws in the eye is the lime green "radioactive" color of the multiple cats. After the initial shock of the unusual color, a humorous felling sets in because the two people in the diorama are elderly. It brings "old cat lady" to mind. I also love the feel of Walking on Eggshells. It strongly reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. I love that the floor looks tilted. I love that the bunny is feeding the snake, which is obviously very ironic. Lastly, I love that the colors are variations of brown. It's crazy that these are life-size depictions. These were very entertaining to look at.
One of the ones that stood at the most was Revenge of the Goldfish. The first thing that came to mind is the amount of goldfish people buy because the fish die and they get flushed down the toilet. I like that the goldfish are everywhere and even seem to be floating.I think that The Green House is a little weird. It's called green house which, it is but there's also blue and green dogs, but they are mostly blue. I don't really get it and I guess that's why it sticks out to me. I guess Sandy is a dog lover which is a plus for me.
I think it's interesting how most of her dioramas use bright colors that contrast except for Radioactive Cats and Walking on Eggshells. Consequently, these two pieces have a more serious tone. Radioactive Cats seems somewhat bleak and Walking on Eggshells is mysterious and vaguely sinister. Looking at Revenge of the Goldfish I wonder if she really meant to convey the idea of revenge in the piece or if she just used it as a clever title because it did not suggest anything menacing to me, it just seemed surreal. I like how the people in her art blend in to the background as opposed to the animals which stand out so distinctly.
The diorama I found most interesting was Germs Are Everywhere. I like the use of color in Germs Are Everywhere to portray its meaning. The whole room is bright, neon green (even the woman is wearing green), a color that, at least for me, has often been associated with bacteria and illness. And the little pink squiggles scattered around the room just adds to the ick factor. In addition, I think the everyday situation (a lady on her couch watching TV) portrayed in the diorama speaks about how we should approach how we think about germs. It reminds us that germs are, indeed, everywhere and most are harmless, and that our jumpy reaction to germs is a bit irrational.
While scrolling through the pictures, I have to say many of them caught my eye because of the vibrant contrasting colors. However, if I had to choose I would say that my favorite diorama would be Fox Games. I love the contrasting colors of the red fox and the gray dining room. The dining room felt really elegant, which was interesting with the random fox wandering around. I like that the fox are kind of taking over the scene, while the people in the background seem to be acting normally. I also really like the movement in the piece. Some of the fox are caught moving from table to table, making the piece feel really alive.
My favorite diorama was "Germs are Everywhere". It's the one that really caught my attention because it depicts something that is quite realistic, unlike the others. Germs are actually on everything whether we realize it or not. They may be invisible to our eyes but "Germs are Everywhere" highlights their presence. I love how they are contrasted against the green background and the lady still seems oblivious to it all.
I love Radioactive Cats and Germs are everywhere, and not just because I love the radioactive green color. Germs are Everywhere reminds me of those commercials(I think it was Lysol or something) where they have "germs" all over everything. I also love how the colors are contrasting, it makes everything pop! ("I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones!")
I find the piece Sock Situation very intriguing. Its simplistic male figures resemble the stereotypical working man. Then, Sandy contrasts the working male images by placing them in the kitchen with one of them vacuuming the floor. The other two watch the one with the vacuum, seemingly judging his act. In some way I certainly think it touches on the gender roles in society, revealing what women do and men don't. Maybe raising awareness to these norms and how ridiculous they are. Additionally, the socks seem to serve as a symbol to the mess created by these societal gender roles pushing towards their abolition. I love this relevant theme and its execution, I truly dislike society's norms and strive to live beyond them.
I really like Fox Games. The gestures of the foxes and their bright red coloring created a really cool and intriguing contrast with the setting. It was like wild animals being loose in a public place and it definitely achieved that feeling of chaos. At the same time it was a fun kind of chaos rather than a frightening one which gave it a really playful feeling. The other ones took on different feelings, such as the Revenge of The Gold Fish that gave off a semi scary/eerie feeling, which i didn't necessarily love, but the playfulness/whisimical/carefree feeling of fox games was really cool
My favorite diorama is Sock Situation. The orange socks against the green background create a great contrast. I also like the tuxedoes on the men and how their outifits are contrasted against the domestic setting created by the kitchen, the vacuum, and the socks. The contrasts in the piece support its theme, which most likely is meant to deal with gender roles in society and the domestic roles that women usually play. The piece portrays a scene that contrasts with societal norms.
Radioactive cats and Fox games are my favorite dioramas because of how vibrant the animals are and how they completely contrast the dull landscape of the scene. I really amazes me how she created these dioramas, when they look like real people and real rooms filled with fabulously, colorful creatures. her dioramas sow true talent and i hope my diorama can have 20 percent of the realism and wonder of Sandy Skogland's.
I really like the piece "The Green House" because, unlike the other pieces, the title is based more on the background than the objects that stand out. Also, unlike the other picture, Th Green House has hidden objects. At first glance you only notice the blue dogs. However, if you give it a closer look you can see that there are green dogs as well, blending with the background.
My favorite one was Walking on Eggshells. I really liked the unified sepia tone of the piece, bringing all the "living" entities into the room versus her other pieces, which have great attention and contrast provided to these individual elements. It then becomes harder to focus on a single thing in the diorama, and you kind of forced to take a closer look at it, noticing all the little details and such.
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