Giant Humanoids Descend Upon DTLA in "Fantastic Planet" at FIGat7th

October 1st, 2019 by thehollywoodhome

Giant Humanoids Descend Upon DTLA in “Fantastic Planet” at FIGat7th

Art, Downtown, Events, Los Angeles Amanda Parer Fantastic Planet FIGat7th No Comments

Gigantic, startling, illuminated, and altogether breathtaking humanoid figures will descend upon Downtown Los Angeles later this month at the FIGat7th Plaza. The Australian artist Amanda Parer’s latest must-see light installation opens Tuesday, October 30th and will live among us through November 10th.

While seemingly peaceful and ethereal, the figures are also imposing and daring. They seem to display an extraordinary curiosity for their onlookers, just as onlookers are fascinated by them. These giants from above give audiences the impression that they have just landed and are quietly observing us and gently exploring our, you guessed it, “fantastic planet.”

Parer’s edgy artworks explore the natural world and our place within it. As with Parer’s globally successful public art exhibit Intrude, these forms will not be randomly placed sculptures but are strategically placed to give the impression that the giant humanoids have taken over the entire event site and, perhaps, the world.

As Parer describes her work, “I raise questions about our relationship with the natural world. I communicate these themes by use of, scale, light, dark, humour, and drama. In these works, the audiences are enticed with beautiful, mostly invasive (which includes us) or endangered species, enlarged and dominant within their given habitats.”

Parer was inspired by the 1973 Czech/ French film Fantastic Planet (La Planète Sauvage). This stop motion science fiction film was directed by René Laloux and depicts a story set in an unimaginably distant future in a world of gargantuan humanoids where human beings are treated as animals and sometimes even kept as pets. The film was awarded the Grand Prix special jury prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival, and in 2016, it was ranked the 36th greatest animated movie ever by Rolling Stone.

In her eerie and surreal installation, Parer lightly touches on the idea of a struggling human race through her Fantastic Planet installation, opening the door for existential questions about our place in today’s world.

While wondrous and life-affirming, Parer’s work also offers jarring examinations into our world today. Fantastic Planet is a sight to behold, but also crackles with emotional and political resonance.

Parer currently resides in Tasmania and her work continues to be acquired by both public and private collections. She has been selected for notable national competitions including multiple nominations for the Blake Prize and the Glover Prize.

Fantastic Planet will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and is located at 735 S. Figueroa. The light installation is free and open to the public, and very close to the 7th Street Metro stop. Be sure to stop by, say hello, and welcome them to our City of Angels.