Semester 2 WEEK 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg's intricately constructed claymation films are both terrifyingly
disturbing and artlessly sweet.

The new works created for the Venice Biennale explore a surrealistic Garden of Eden in which all that is natural goes awry.

She exposes the innate fear of what is not understood and confronts viewers with the complexity of emotions.

Nathalie Djurberg was awarded the silver lion for a promising young artist at the Venice
Art Biennale 09.

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1.   1. What do you understand by the word 'claymation'?

Claymation is a form or animation in which clay figures are filmed using stop-motion photography

2. What is meant by the term 'surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?

After watching some of Nathalie Djurberg's claymation videos I get the feeling that it is set in a made up world or dream paradise, something that is not real only imaginary. As for “all that is natural goes awry” it seems like odd and disturbing things start to happen, you see disfigured people and spooky music is paying. The flowers also take on a sinister look, like something alien. It reminds me of a bad dream that you might have, were strange things happen, you don’t have full control over the dream and when you wake you feel slightly disturbed. 

3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?

“Nathalie Djurberg's claymation films are sweet, depraved things that can shock, amuse and confound in equal measure.” The feeling you get a first is sweet because you see the flowers or the lovely background, but then you see the videos and you feel disturbed or frightened. Its bridges from ‘artlessly sweet’ to ‘terrifyingly disturbing’

4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?

“Her Plasticine fairytale characters recall nursery days” The video looks childlike and naive, and it show children playing but then partakes in some disturbing acts, for example in one clip a pair of twins running around before pulling off each other’s skin.  

5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?

I think that it represents something with growing up, and that innocence doesn’t last. And that in today’s art world it’s not about if you make some ting that looks ‘pretty’ but if you make something that people won’t forget even the disturbing things. 

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?

Probably because people will remember it, it’s hard to forgot something like that that gives you mixed emotions  

7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work.

Personally I don’t really like her work, It frightens me, and I feel slightly disturbed after watching the video.



Ref http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/aug/25/artist-nathalie-djurberg