KATHERINE FRANKEN

This sculpture is based on an original story about Tiffany Wolfskin who after an accident is warped into a parallel universe. There she is to save a so-called ‘man-eating monster’ from losing its pure self to evil, and together return to the real world. The sculpture represents the scene where Tiffany realises that the monster has disappeared from the cave in the Dark Forest, only leaving a trail of bloody footprints. This piece consists of numerous materials from her eyes and red cheeks which uses stone clay tinted vibrantly, contrasting to her pitch black dress which uses glass paint and lace, to her detachable cape of the two headed monster made from “deceased animals” (synthetic fur). Her fierce and fearless visuals contrasting with her inner innocence cooperates to portray the theme of beauty hiding beneath the ugly, foreshadowing the possibility of the “purity” that lies within the monster. Living as a multi-national individual I have always had the feeling of not completely fitting in to either countries, as if I am a misfit “monster”. I have noticed that people are likely to be hesitant to talk to me or assume my character through my foreign looks, and therefore I have to always be the first to open up to someone new. I believe that this doll also represents myself waiting for someone to willingly reach out to me first and reveal my true self behind the monster cape.

I am a Dutch-Japanese Artist, currently studying Oil Painting at 東京藝術大学 since 2022. I have an active imagination. I am a daydreamer who uses my daydreams. Most of my stories are unintentionally born in the silence before bed, ideas start flowing uncontrollably in my head and into my dreams and nightmares. The ingredients to these cruel but visually pleasing thoughts are triggered by the visuals, feelings and emotions I’ve experienced that day or remembered from my childhood, merging with my nature of imagining unrealistic scenarios. By expressing these thoughts through art, I aspire to record the character I possess at that chapter of life and allow the audience to experience my peculiar view of the world as a magnificent adventure.