Client: Burning Man Organization & Sheldon Donig (Rafael Auto & Collectible Museum)

Overview

Comprising characters from children’s literature, The Little People is a free-standing sculpture installation. Dot (Dorothy from ’The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, and Chip (Christopher Robin from ‘Winnie the Pooh’) are reimagined with playful charm. They are accompanied by both Peg the sausage dog (Toto) and an OJO toy (Pooh), as well as three small sprite-like entities. The mischievous Pants (Peter Pan) perches atop the central lamppost, the toadstooly Rooms (Alice in Wonderland) sits at the base and Lolly (Lucy from Narnia) is represented in a lioness lantern above. Ranging in size from 2ft to 7ft and created from resins, glass, wood and LEDs, all characters fuse classic symbolism from the books with dream-like details and maximalist textures, colors and pattern work.

It is a highly tactile, gestural and playful installation which engages both children and adults.

Goals

Due to its modularity, characterization, humor and capacity to engage a wide range of viewers from children to adults, this project was infinitely adaptable in terms of site, function and demographics. It was designed to compliment either an outdoor, indoor, corporate, governmental or residential space.