Drawing papers 107. Alexis Rockman. Drawings of Life of Pi

Alexis Rockman´s watercolor drawings were the first stage in the development of the fantastical, imaginary world of Life of Pi, the 2012 feature film directed by Ang Lee. Lee sought out Rockman s vision as an artist with a specific commitment to hand drawing to bring a human scale to the project--a sense of the material and the fortuitous that would come, for example, from the random bloom of watercolor pigment on paper. Though most artistic contributions to cinema are dependent on photo-realism or cartoonlike illustration, Rockman s images are fluid, intimate and dynamic in a way that only drawing can capture. This publication accompanies The Drawing Center s exhibition, providing a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between visual art--specifically drawing--and commercial filmmaking. More than 60 color reproductions are featured, alongside an interview with the artist by Jean-Christophe Castelli.