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How he creates his artwork is impressive, but technique is only a part of how Fabian Oefner captures iconic cars in these otherworldly scenes. Around the Petrolicious office, we’ve used a lot of bandwidth simply staring at Oefner’s latest work: racing cars “exploded” into an intricately frozen portrait.
His show, Disintegrating II, is on now at MB&F M.A.D.Gallery Dubai, and is worth examining even though these images were done using scale model cars and a hefty amount of Photoshop. From a sketch, Oefner focuses on the form of how his subjects will look when blown apart. Scale model cars are then delicately disassembled, then placed miniature part by miniature part with fine needles and string. Digital shots are constantly being taken of these pieces through the whole process.
Mind-bogglingly, each of the images you see here are the result of about two months of work, from model disassembly to composition. Oefner deftly combines each part photographed with the rest of the car, creating art that is unmistakably familiar and yet undoubtedly original.
You can view his work at the MB&F M.A.D. Gallery Dubai and at his website.
Not quite sure what to make of these models, obviously spends a great deal of time and effort creating them and his work is certainly interesting in a twisted sort of way.
It’s almost as if the cars have been frozen in a terrible moment in time immediately after colliding with a train, and yet, like the proverbial train wreck, you can’t look away.
Not to be pedantic or anything seeing as how Mr Oefner’s ‘ craftsmanship ‘ [ this is impressive ‘ craft ‘ not ‘art ‘ ] is quite excellent …. but … look at them carefully …. the parts are falling off/exploding out of order .. the most obvious examples being the transaxles on the GT40 and 956 flying out the back end while the rear wheels remain in place etc . Much as I hate to mention this if you’re going to put that much time and effort into a project .. especially at these prices .. isn’t it worth the extra minute or two to do it right ? In closing here’s hoping Photoshop as well as AutoTune fall out of favor much sooner than later
Told you I’m having a serious Robert Hughes moment today … 😉