AES+F Inverso mundus 2015
Courtesy the artists, MAMM, Anna Schwartz Gallery and Triumph Gallery

Learning resource

AES+F

 

‘The title of the work, Inverso – both an Italian "reverse, the opposite" and the Old Italian "poetry," and Mundus – the Latin "world," hints at a reinterpretation of reality, a poetic vision… Inverso Mundus is a world where chimeras are pets and the Apocalypse is entertainment.’

Discussion Questions

  • How does the music and visual pace of Inverso Mundus affect your experience of it?
  • How does the idea of the “World Upside Down” affect your view of the future?
  • Does the exchanging of roles and dress throughout the video make the apocalypse more or less appealing?
  • What kind of commentary are AES+F making by creating characters that are at once unpleasant and beautiful?

Art Making

  • Create a Story Board for your own Sci-Fi short film that depicts people and creatures from your imagined future. Visually plan the beginning, middle and end of your film with at least three images in each stage of the visual narrative. Refer to the AES+F website link to see how the professionals utilise story boards.
  • Draw your own genetically engineered apocalyptic creature. Using images from the AES+F website for inspiration. Create your own combination of real or imagined creatures. Extend your artwork by photographing it and apply a readily available digital animation App to bring your creature to life.

Case Study Questions

Apocalypse, Utopia and Dystopia in art

  • History has provided artists many opportunities to show us their apocalyptic, utopian and dystopian visions of what the world might look like in the future or some parallel universe. Prepare a statement of 300-500 words that applies the conceptual framework to Inverso Mundus 2015.
  • Discuss as a class what might be unveiled socially, politically, or economically at the time of an Apocalypse or global crisis. You may draw upon the following to inform your discussion; Anselm Kiefer’s Abendland [Twilight of the West] 1989, Albrecht Durer’s The Four Horsemen 1948 as well as the Fallout game series by Interplay Entertainment 1997 and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 2008- 2015.

Research Links

http://aesf.art/projects/inverso_mundus/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=Z3BGHE-iKRw

http://barogaleria.com/artist/aesf-2/

Search for works by this artist in the national collection.