MAKING OF...

SCULPTING TADZIO from DEATH IN VENICE

I was delighted to be contacted by Criterion Films asking me to consider creating the cover for their Blu-Ray and DVD restoration of Luchino Visconti's classic 1971 movie Death In Venice.

The idea was to make a bust of the character of the young boy Tadzio from the film that would then be photographed to make the cover.

Tadzio represents the idealisation of beauty and the sculpture was

to reflect the film's main theme of the decay and death of beauty.

The bust was made from plaster over a wire armature. For the likeness, many film stills were used as reference. Once the head was completed

it was patinated using acrylic paints to mimic the ageing effect of a weathered bronze sculpture with patterns of verdigris.

Go to -

Sculpting Tadzio for an in-depth article on how the piece was made, with stage by stage photos.

Criterion for more details on the release.

TADZIO SCULPTURE IN FRANKFURT

Sometime after the DVD release I was contacted by Fernando Carmena of the European FilmPhilharmonic Institute. Together with conductor Frank Strobel, he was designing a series of concerts at the Alte Opera, Frankfurt, entitled Die Lange Nacht.

The performances would trace the exodus of music makers from Europe to Hollywood. During the evening the HR-Sinfonieorchester would perform Mahler's Adagietto from the 5th Symphony from Visconti's classic 'Death in Venice' - Fernando's idea was to

project an image of my sculpture to accompany the performance along with stills from the original movie.

I was honoured indeed to be involved. Thank you Fernando!

Photo:-

Die Lange Nacht

Alte Oper Frankfurt.

Frank Strobel, conductor

hr-Sinfonieorchester

European FilmPhilharmonic Institute