The shoot had all ready been postponed once due to predictions of high winds. On the 100-mile drive into the desert outside of Los Angeles, it looked to be a perfect day. The skies were crisp and a gentle breeze was in the air. In the first hour of setup out on the lakebed, I was actually worried about the winds being too calm.
The shot concept evolved from discussions with friend Hugh Brown. Hugh is an accomplished artist and a brilliant designer. During his tenure as Creative Director for Rhino Records, he won several Grammy-awards for his packing design. Hugh’s talents are also reflected in the design of my newly released book. Over the course of a few hours sitting around his living room and talking about ideas for the cover, we decided that it would be a play on expectations. Despite what others believe toys should be, countless artists have chosen to push the medium, open up new perspectives, and fight old notions. Tigerlily is one my favorite Art-Toys that really captures this energy. Her cute, neo-retro design contrasts and obscures the dark implications of a pajama-clad child holding a revolver. While invoking classic toys, Tigerlily simultaneously breaks the mold and demonstrates the potential for artistic expression through an object that until recently was considered puerile. It was a natural progression to choose Tigerlily for the cover, cast as an unlikely protagonist against a legion of unknown operatives.
As the morning of the shoot went on, winds started to pick up and blow dust across the cracked earth of the dry lakebed. By the time a hole was dug to get the camera in position, gusts of up to 35mph regularly broke through sustained winds of 20-25mph. The fine positioning of the 1:18 scale cars and 6” figures would have been time-consuming under fair conditions. Being blasted by what felt like a giant hairdryer made it all the more challenging. More than once, I thought about postponing for a second time, fearing that the fire effects could be problematic or even dangerous to attempt.
With the camera and props positioned and locked down, I tried waiting out the wind with my two companions on the shoot, assistant Michael Ford and Bob Self of Baby Tattoo Books. If anything, it got worse. After traveling so far and working so hard to get everything set up, I had to attempt the shot. We set up a series of windbreaks with boxes, bags, and a cooler. When the cars were lit, the effect was spectacular yet almost too effective. The flame from the closest car swirled in a vortex back towards the camera, threatening to scorch both the lens and my hands. The crest of the fire was captured in the photo moments before it came crashing back. The farthest car had no windbreak at all and it shows the raw force of the wind with flames that are completely horizontal.
Within a matter of minutes, the cars were puddles of smoldering die-cast and the action figures were blackened plastic. With only enough props to attempt one take, I either had the shot or didn’t. Looking at the completed image and resulting book cover, I couldn't be happier. It's an amazing treat to see my work collected in a such a beautiful monograph with Tigerlily staring back from the cover.
The book titled Art-Toys: Photographs by Brian McCarty is starting to hit shelves now. At 240 pages, it features over 100 photographs from the past six years of working within the Art-Toy community. An extensive behind the scenes section is included at the back of the book, providing a narrative glimpse at my methods and the artists with whom I've collaborated. Media theorist / author Douglas Rushkoff wrote the preface, contributing his brilliant perspective on the Art-Toy movement and its affect on the traditional art world.
If you're attending the San Diego Comic Con next week, I'll be there signing copies and otherwise enjoying time with 100K+ of my geek brethren. You'll be able to find me and my books at:
Baby Tattoo Books (booth #601) - Wednesday @ 5pm, Friday @ 1pm, and Saturday @ 1pm
Hi Fructose Magazine (booth #4939) - Thursday @ 4pm, Sunday @ 4pm
STRANGEco (booth #4629) - I'll only be there randomly, but my book will be for sale in a limited capacity.
For everyone in Los Angeles, there will be a book release event August 13th at the iconic La Luz de Jesus Gallery / Wacko in Los Feliz. I'll have more details for you soon.
I hope to see you at one or all of the events!
Cheers,
Brian
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