New York In Miniature
When I was a child, I had an ongoing and masochistic addiction to scale models. That is to say, that while I enjoyed miniatures, mostly of the military variety, I mainly enjoyed them in the idealized, finished versions in my head. I did not, however, take much joy in the harsh, time intensive reality of constructing a 1/48th scale German Tiger tank — a reality fraught with frustration and toxic substances. It was a truly volatile combination, I assure you, and usually resulted in my shaking with impotent rage over a pile of badly painted plastic, it’s surfaces ravaged by the effects of Testors Model Cement.
Despite a complete lack of ability (which I have learned to accept) I still find myself fascinated with diminutive, scale reproductions of places and objects. Randy Hage does not work in the area of war that so preoccupied the violent imagination of my youth, but his work is astounding. Focusing on New York City storefronts he recreates everything from the signage and shutters to the graffiti that adorns their facades and various bits of detritus inside and out. The level of detail here requires a patience that I never possessed or, no doubt, ever will.
via Bioephemera
July 6th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
These models are ASTOUNDING. I live very close to Ideal Hosiery and, let me tell you, it looks EXACTLY like the way it is depicted. I would be interested in learning what materials he uses and what his creative process is like.
Thanks for another nifty post !
J.
July 11th, 2011 at 4:25 am
Ditto! I remember that storefront VERY well. Uncanny.
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:23 am
All of the cool artsy blogs I follow seem to have blogged about this at the same time. Not sure who of you is first because my Reader shows the newest stuff first [shrug]. One did mention that the artist is a scale modeller by profession.
Anyhoo. I loved mini things as a kid – I would got to school early to play by myself with the dollhouse, and entertain myself in the garden with little critters – and continue to now, including creating a few of my own. Small scale things are wonderful.