So, Dr. Fletcher wanted the undergrads (or interested MFAs) to think of an uncanny experience created purposely for performance. But since creepy, horror flicks are out of the question--darn!--I suddenly remembered my time, when I lived in NYC, at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. My friend flew up to the City to visit me for a few days, and I promised her I would take her to all the sight-seeing attractions. We visited the Olive Garden, where I worked in Times Square, to have a nice lunch (with too much Bianca Princiapato wine I might add). She begged me to take her inside the over-crowded museum, and even offered to pay for my ticket. I was feeling pretty toasty after our lunch and was up for anything...so I followed her all around the showroom. See the video below for a tour. FYI, this is not my friend, but some random lady who posted her experience on YouTube.
She gives a lengthy tour of the attraction...don't feel like you have to watch the whole clip. Notice which figures look more real than others.
NYC Time Square Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
Supposedly Madame Tussaud began making death masks for the wealthy in her day, but she later decided to sculpt statues of wax for display. You can find YouTube videos of artists sculpting famous figures with the exact technique that Madame used herself. I watched the making of Lady Gaga and it was fascinating. Every little detail is addressed from her "real skin tone" to her "iconic looks" to even her tattoos. The hair is made with real hair and designed/created individually by strand. You hear the artists talk about their work and reference the wax figure as "she" or "her style", etc. It is eerie how much these figures look like their real muses.
But here is where the performance comes in. The tour is set up like a social event "...where all the stars are here to mingle with us"(from the happy tour guide in the clip). Music is cranked up, a concession area with drinks, snacks, and alcohol are available for a fortune, and the public is participating in a celebratory event. I remember tourists all around me standing by the figures, taking pictures, talking to them, touching their hands, stroking their hair...I had a mixed experience. Some wax figures looked more life-like than others as you will see from the video clip. I remember walking with my friend and stopping by each wax statue, but there were times where I found myself spooked by all the uncanny replicas of past and present stars. I guess I couldn't stop thinking about the campy House of Wax horror flick. Might one of these figures start talking to me? Will one of them actually be an employee of the museum who suddenly scares the CRAP out of me? I was fascinated by the realistic, aliveness of the sculptures. The attraction was made to enjoy and celebrate the accomplishments and lives of influential people. Artist people made copies of famous people to mingle with tourist people...weird. I wasn't drawn in as much as I expected, but somehow oddly distanced from the whole experience. Perhaps the uncanny creates an alienation...or perhaps it allows a constant tug and pull during a performance. It captures our attention yet allows us to remain objective.
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