Two-dimensional clay animations melding and merging the work of 35 famous artists.
In "Mona Lisa Descending a Staircse", images of the human face are transformed to communicate the graphic style and emotional content of key artworks of the 20th century, creating an animated history of art. The improvisational nature of Gratz's animation explores the unconscious through abstract imagery. Working with bits of clay she blends colors and etches fine lines to create a seamless flow of images.—Peter-Patrick76 (peter-patrick@mail.com)
How much history of art can one cram in seven minutes? Apparently, the innovative director Joan C. Gratz manages to pack nearly a century of classic art masterpieces in this pioneering short film. With the use of Mona Lisa's cryptic smile and the technique of claypainting, more than thirty famous paintings transform before us in a wonderful voyage through time and, of course, art.—Nick Riganas