I have been following a site on tumblr that I want to share. It is about the adventures of a Disney Vinylmation called Baby Jack. Vinylmations, a Disney brand, consist of a 3” or 9” figure that are considered collectibles. Baby Jack is a 3” Vinylmation of Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop motion movie created in 1993. Jack Skellington is created by Tim Burton.
Looking at the many images on the site, the photographer places Baby Jack in everyday situations. Baby Jack is experiencing life as a person. He does not seem to care that his size is different or that he never changes his expression. The placement of Baby Jack in these situations conveys expressive content.
Waiting to enter George Washington’s home in Mt. Vernon, Virginia
Look at the first photo to the left. Here Baby Jack is waiting in line to enter Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington near Alexandria, Virginia. His smaller size does not draw attention from all the people around. No one has turned to look at him. He is just like everyone else waiting to enter but in reality he is not like the others. He is a 3” inanimate plastic toy. The photographer has made us discount the properties of the Vinylmation and allows us to see him experiencing the same everyday life events of a person. We quickly identify with Baby Jack because we are viewing the narrative through his eyes in this worm’s eye view.
Waiting for take-off.
Remember on your last flight when the steward made sure you were all buckled up before the plane took off? Remember the feeling of the seat belt across your waist? Not the most comfortable position! Look at the second photograph to the left. There is Baby Jack doing exactly what we did. Does it look comfortable? Absolutely not! We don’t even need to see his expression change. The photographer has conveyed the situation with perfect clarity. The placement of the elements in the photograph conveys the narrative. Baby Jack is entitled to a seat all by himself and he is following the rules of take-off by using his seat belt. The seat belt is constricting his body in a most uncomfortable portrayal. Poor Baby Jack… I bet he can’t wait for the seat belt light to go off. The viewer identifies with the situation and remembers the emotions felt at that time. We know exactly what Baby Jack is feeling in this situation. Here again we have this plastic Vinylmation taking on life as a person.
Visit the photographer’s interpretation of everyday life through the eyes of Baby Jack at http://babyjackvm.tumblr.com/
artcurious 