Catharine Dobson

Rule #32- Enjoy the little things 

Rule #17- Don’t be a hero 
 

My project was based on the brief of body, identity and character. I wanted to focus on the stories we create in our mind from our individual interpretations of visual clues. I have created a 1:3 scale sculpture of a park ranger zombie character and a series of printed, frozen forest landscapes where the character exists. I included signifiers in my work to create a scene, to allow the viewer to imagine the story behind the ranger’s demise.  My work has physical layers of trees, snow, clothing and a human body to engage with the complexity of the brief. 

My work is inspired by my love of horror films and the special effects of artist Tom Savini, and his work with George A Romero on Day of the Dead (1985).  Romero’s films created the tropes of the later zombie films that I have watched and enjoyed. One of which is Zombieland (2009) – the inspiration for the titles of my work.  Each piece is named after a rule of how to survive Zombieland.  It is my nod to humour and levity in an otherwise dark subject matter: Rule #32– Enjoy the little things.  

My landscape backdrop was created by first taking photos of the trees in my local area and then carving the design into lino. Then I printed the designs onto acetate to create the vast forest that allows you to see deeper into the scene. The idea for the 3D arrangements and display of the prints were inspired by artist Nobuhiro Nakanishi.  

I relished the process of experimenting with materials and methods for this piece.  Using what I had around me, the physical act of cutting into lino and clay with sharp tools, and working with ink and paints reflect the violent and messy nature of a zombie apocalypse. 

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