Saturday, March 6, 2010

Alice and the Psychedelic Trip

Tea Party by Jing Wei

Curiouser and Curiouser at Gallery Nucleus currently exhibits various artwork inspired by "Alice in Wonderland." Here are ten pictures from the show of artists' interpretations of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel. The show runs until March 29, 2010, so if you live near the L.A. area, be sure to check it out! 

Alice in the Rain by Lorelay Bove


Tea Party Rising by Annie Koelle

I especially like "Tea Party Rising," above. There are no characters depicted and yet the themes of "Wonderland" are all symbolically illustrated, which makes the subject easily recognizable. I also love how all of the elements in this picture meld together in a simple composition. 



"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" has inspired many artists to explore the fantasy genre within the realms of its settings and characters. It has also influenced pop culture and our use of metaphors. For example, did you know that "Down the Rabbit-Hole," the title of the book's first chapter, references hallucinogenic drug trips?

Alice and Mushrooms by Adolie Day

Eat Me/Drink Me by Vera Brosgol


I first learned about the Gallery Nucleus show from Vera's sketchblog. I really love the awkward cramped feeling of Alice's expansion in the small confined frame. She posted a great set of photos that explain the steps and tools she used to create the picture above. You can take a peek into her work process here.

Make A Remark by SEILER


Eat ME! by Alina Chau

La Petite Porte by Marguerite Sauvage

Did you know that the first film version of the novel came out back in 1903? That's 107 years ago! It was a silent film with a running time of just 12 minutes, which, at the time, was the longest film produced in England. Unfortunately, the film was poorly damaged and only 8 of the original 12 minutes survive. The BFI National Archive has restored the film's original tinted colors for the first time and you can now view it online.