PICTUREBOOK – a Theme Park™ product
The PICTUREBOOK project is an art-book by multi-media artist Darren Le (Min Bow) with a launch event/ exhibition that expanded on the themes in the book.
PICTUREBOOK is the first project hosted by creative company Theme Park.
‘Picturebook’ is an interactive activity book for adults invoking childish nostalgia, exploring artist Min Bow’s struggles transitioning to adulthood while harboring a child-like imagination. Working in the world of advertising, where ideas are steered by money and diluted to fit the cynical idea of ‘demographics’ that need to be ‘targeted’, Min Bow explores the frustrations of imaginative compromise. He utilities his knowledge of the traits and fundamentals of advertising to materialise stories, emotions and key points in his creative journey throughout the Picturebook project; an 88 page book, mini movie and exhibition. Picturebook questions the purity of our childhood imagination. The toys we played with and the worlds we thought up are not as pure as we once believed. Picturebook unpacks these worlds whilst questioning how far we, as adults, are separated from them. Min Bow uses these dreamworlds to convey his conflicted creative journey in London. Playing with advertising logic, Picturebook juxtaposes the innocence of childhood with the realities of consumerism. How free really where we as children? How free are we now?
"Through collage, I attempt to visually explain the emotions, stories and ideas which have formed my creative journey. The conflict between the images create new stories which are my own. I explore the storytelling capacity of images to illustrate my life. Each page captures a different part of who I am. Picturebook features quizzes and activities just like the ones from my childhood. While my background is in music, I feel like I understand the world in visual terms. I wanted my art to reflect this. Picture book is intended to challenge the reader in a different way. Eye wanted the viewer to look at visual clues throughout the pages to piece together the stories. Enjoy finding the Easter eggs. Picture book is a reflection of my life but also the ticket to its next stage. Buy one get one Free(dom). This is a showcase of my world. Catch me if you can."
- Min Bow
My roles in the project included:
Curator: Using my understanding of the artist to develop, refine and guide the artist’s practise, and collaborated to realise installation and video shoot ideas including sourcing materials and props.
I also collaborated on art-works and event ‘attractions’, for the exhibition, as well as the exhibition design/ aesthetic and floor plan/ layout.
Creative director/ Design: Creative consultant for content of Picturebook and product packaging as well as redesigning the book cover. I collaborated on the book’s branding and aesthetic by designing promotional material including a poster and hand-made badges.
Event Planning/ Management: I had regular meetings with the artist to refine and help relay the concept of each art-piece for the exhibition, placing and planning the works whilst considering the space and customer experience.
For the event set up I formed and executed a plan that included organising and co-ordinating a small install team.
Promotion: I helped to organise photo/ video shoots for adverts including taking the role of co-set designer, creative consultant for concepts and editing, camera operation, set co-ordinator and ‘behind the scenes’ photographer.
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Teaser advert - ‘Hue Hefner’
Hue Hefner is a teaser visual for PICTUEBOOK - Directed by Min Bow.
“Inspired by the 8 hidden rabbits within 'PICTUREBOOK' & a reference to the 'Hugh Hefner' story, who burrowed $500 to print the first Playboy Magazine that led to a million pound Playboy Empire. This is my rendition, 'HUE HEFNER'.”
Behind the scenes:
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Buy-1-Get-1-Free
‘Buy-1-Get-1-Free’ is a advert/ mini movie that was screened at the PICTUREBOOK launch event.
‘Buy-1-Get-1-Free’ is based around the barbie character ‘Paige Turner’ who helps the Picturebook Kid (Min Bow) to escape from the Piggy Banks so he can be free to purse his creative journey.
See a snippet & behind the scenes photos below:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by @minbow_ on Mar 22, 2020 at 3:50pm PDT
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PICTUREBOOK Exhibition - The Book Launch
In March 2020 the Picturebook was launched at The Department Store in Brixton.
Picturebook; The Book Launch, hosted by Theme Park, is an experiential and playful exhibition celebrating the release of 'Picturebook'.
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The Picturebook lives on...
After a successful launch of the Picturebook, the full campaign was a little cut short by a the global pandemic of 2020... But since then the PICTUREBOOK is now available in off-license’s around East and South London, also the Picturebook Soundtrack is now available online - A selection of tracks that played on the launch night, with some original beats by Min Bow mixed in.
https://soundcloud.com/themeparkworld/picturebook-mix