The Chapman Brothers

Rhizome, 2000, mixed media, 36 x 98.5 x 98.5

The End of Fun, 2010, mixed media

Hell, 2000, mixed media

The Sum of All Evil, 2012-2013, mixed media

Unholy McTrinity, 2003, painted bronze, 180 x 210 x 60 cm

I really enjoy looking at the work of Jake and Dinos Chapman because of the exquisite craft behind what they make. Often, the Chapman brothers create tiny scale models although these models are epic in scale and detail. This enrapturement due to wondering about the processes behind the artwork creation is exactly what appeals to me about making dioramas and then painting from them myself. A further similarity in artistic concerns between myself and the Chapmans is the themes they explore which I would postulate can be defined as dystopic. Often the Chapmans work with war and Holocaust imagery paired with the corporate icons of our generation (particularly McDonalds) to reflect on the universal trends of society. This imagery is commonly vivid and explicit, however the Chapmans are successfully able to bend it into parody through scale. As I would also like there to be some element of parody behind my work I am very much inspired by this use of exaggeration. I like that their work is both conceptual and representational simultaneously, meaning their intended themes and ideas are clearly conveyed to their audience but are not boring and lacking in intent.

I think it is interesting that the Chapman brothers proving 360 degree views of their dioramas by constructing them within glass display cabinets, whereas I have the tendency to favour one viewing point for my dioramas. Whilst I love that in the case of the Chapmans, the viewer has the chance to fully explore their work from all angles which allows for new discoveries of what the work contains, I think it is important for me to continue boxing in my imagery at this stage to continue exploring the relationships between the 3D and 2D and therefore the transition from space to the picture plane.