The discussion for this week has asked us to examine an experimental short film. I’m going to discuss Shingo Tamagawa’s PUPARIA, a roughly three minute short film created over three years.
I believe this film utilises conceptual abstraction, through its open-to-interpretation plot, visual metaphor and uncommon creation practice.
The film utilised intensely intricate and ornate environments, and much of the work was created using traditional media such as coloured pencils and then scanned and manipulated. The time-consuming nature of traditional media over digital emphasises the concept of visual luxury, of the blood-sweat-and-tears of creation born out of artistry rather than consumption. The environments are so ornate that I would argue it is almost impossible to absorb everything with only one watch.
The rich, vibrant colours suggest luxury and indulgence, beauty for the sake of beauty, evocative of traditional wealth and riches with highly saturated jewel tones common throughout. My personal belief is that this film is an expression of the luxury of animation versus the consumerist pressures of modern media. The concept of a three-minute film took three years to make because the intricacy of the art is emphasised by the recurrent theme of eyes throughout the piece.
The beautiful princely character, gawked at by a sea of unflinching, staring masses, ignoring the beautiful scenery behind them evokes feelings of a thirst for constant new media.
The man gazes down into the infinite corridor and is seemingly overwhelmed by the massive stature of the gargantuan insect that approaches, possibly a symbol of the cost of endless creation. The recurrent symbolism of butterflies/moths, famously short-living creatures but loved for their beauty, I believe emphasises this concept.
The fast, jingling music carries through each scene, removing any sort of distinction between scenes. This makes the piece as a whole feel almost like one concurrent moment, adding to the overwhelm of senses, the instinct to absorb everything in one look. The watcher is carried away before they can possibly absorb everything, the music evocative of the pace we’re carried through.
Many other parts of the short film are unclear to me in terms of message or intention, but I find every element on the screen so rich in detail that I’m encouraged to look at something new with every watch. The level of detail in every shot of the work is a testament to the concept of quality over quantity, encouraging multiple viewings to digest the disjointed plot and enjoy the artwork for what it is.