He Cong in ‘Guru Issue’ by Pierre Debusschere for Exhibition Magazine October 2019

He Cong allows her face to float into another dimension in ‘Guru Issue‘ by Pierre Debusschere for Exhibition Magazine, October 2019. Ever moved by Debusschere’s landscape of welcomed lunacy, I find myself once again drawn into his exquisite world. Multi-dimensional forms take shape as this story celebrates the music of the face. Layered imagery invites a sense of enticement. Suspended disbelief offers details that project each picture as unique. Special Effects make this story sing, as subtle shifts transform into gulfs of creative suspension. Her rich complexion is one of sheer perfection. Cosmetic collage captures our imagination with eyes the fan out over the face. like a visual eruption. The extra eyeballs give her an otherworldly look. Cong peaks through the center of a storm. Her red lips erupt in a circle that surrounds her face, mimicking a million mouths moving in for a kiss. Sitting atop the head like a giant hat, her pillowy lips are turned upside/down. The image is divine as two more shots of the mouth layers over each other, both running north/south. Joseph Pujalte builds hair that blends into the effects in such a way that allows styles to go from scalp to skin. These artists are fusing in ways that create independent moments of visual interest.

Peter Philips makeup possesses a cinematic flavor. Artfully building a bridge to beauty. Every image is about the connective tissue of life. Nothing looks as if it were added on top of a solid image, rather, it appears infused instead of applied. Lending to the idea of evolution. These ideas evolve allowing the elements to naturally integrate. The features of the face are seen as a structure of a scenic silhouette. Layered imagery projects a sense of symmetry within the surroundings. Whereby what we witness isn’t seen as strange. Somehow a floating head in not viewed as an impractical reality, but a riveting resource to explore. The subtle shifts in clarity leave room for a blurred vision. This is a step toward associated acceptance. Here, the distance between reality and fantasy is shortened. Stepping instead toward a neo-world, where all things abide by a kind of neutral state of existence. Floating free we see this through the many eyes of a severed head (as it were). Is this the future? Is it abstract or insane? Is our existence a construct of consciousness? Or a sentence of the sordid? Are we real? Is anything we perceive a version of reality, or just another click on the matrix trick?

The music of the face celebrates with creative abandon. This is about the structural elements of skin and how it plays against the beauty of the bones. Pierre & Peter combine talents to explore a new way to see beyond our current existence. A new way to be in our world today. To allow the mind to wind down a path of least resistance. Whereby one can truly invest in ideas beyond our scope. This takes from realms of realistic to non-realistic. Portraying pretty as a construct of the subconscious. “The body is a conductor of emotions and messages, passing through the face. I didn’t want clothes to get in the way. We ask more than usual of our models, pushing them further and further”. This was taken from Debusschere when speaking about his film, “I KNOW SIMPLY THE SKY WILL LAST LONGER THAN I”. Phraseology borrowed from the great words of Albert Camus. I revisited these words, from his 2013 film. They seemed to perfectly capture the tone of this piece. The vibe is alive with a strong sense of pride. It holds your attention, not breaking from the face, you somehow blend into the skin. This isn’t an exercise to analyze. Daring us to go into the depths of discovery. Layered with abstract imagery this live collage is set to incite cinematic effect.