Studio Brief 3 - Persons of Note ANALYSIS

1. JIM HENSON   

Career
- puppeteer/ cartoonist/ inventor/ film director/ screen writer
- creator of the Muppets
- developed characters for Sesame Street
- created puppets for Labyrinth
- created and played Kermit the Frog

Legacy
- Jim Henson Foundation
                                             - Jim hendon's Creature Shop
                                             - Hollywood Walk of Fame - Kermit
                                             - Disney

                                             Responses
                                             - 3D illustrations
                                             - character work
                                             - re-appropriation of imagery

2. ALFRED JARRY

Career
- writer/ playwright
- french literature
- coined concept of 'pataphysics'
- gained attention for prose and poems
- made woodcuts of his own characters
- literary works revolving around depiction of school teacher 'Pere Ubu'

Legacy
- pioneer in symbolist literature movement
- 'L'Ymagier' magazine

Responses
- interpretation of character and narrative
- stamps relating to journey of 'Pere Ubu'

3. ALAN BENNETT

Career
- playwright/ screen writer/ actor/ author
- Oxford Revue
- adaptation for stage
- collaboration with Dudley Moore, Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook for 'Beyond the Fringe'
- Lady lived in a van on his driveway for more that 15 years of his career

Legacy
-The Habit of Art
-The History Boys
-The Lady in the Van
-Beyond the Fringe

Responses
                                                       - interpretation of his relationship with van lady
                                                       -stamps relating to various characters of his work

REFLECTION AND CHOICE
From researching my given creatives, I've found out that all three are concerned with narrative and character. In light of their similarities, I've looked into their work more specifically and the visual work that already exists surrounding them. For Jim Henson's work, there is a plethora of visual material, with his work being mainly puppetry and character design. For Alfred Jarry, while his work is literature based, he has produced some wood-cuts of his characters. However, Alan Bennett's practice operates within a performance and audio context, with less visual ties. I have therefore chosen to work on the subject of Alan Bennett in order to push the development of my visual language. I intend to take inspiration from some of his texts and interviews and interpret these to form some initial sketches that consider his character and the characters he has created. 

PLAN
-Work through sketchbook to document initial ideas through roughs and sketches
-Read at least one text as a starting point
-Research Bennett as a person--- interviews?