MASTERMIND
KOOKY MONSTERS
After meeting in a critique class at the School of Visual Arts in New York, duo MIKE AND CLAIRE combined their mutual love for the eccentric and esoteric to create visuals that shoot for the superlative. By Rita Faire
P
aper Magazine called them the possible lovechild of conceptual portraitist Cindy Sherman and LA-based visual artist and filmmaker Ryan Trecartin and we’re not going to argue with the label. Driven by outlandish characters with hidden glam rock and punk undertones, New York-based Mike Bailey-Gates and Claire Christerson of Mike and Claire make the most out of their 3-5 second medium as they prove that GIFs are the next frontier of short films. “The best thing about GIFs is that you can convey a story quickly,” says Claire. Despite the obstacle of having to limit their file size to a decent rate that even the slowest broadband connection can upload with the least amount of discomfort, the two transform themselves (and a couple of friends) into characters that channel everything from their inner Bowies to freaky suburbia and loop endlessly in episodes of lucid mania.
Transformation seems to be a very strong theme in your work. You transform props, clothes, and even yourselves. M: Superhero movies and comic books have always been my favorite because they usually involve someone normal transforming into something amazing. I remember when I was a kid, I broke up a magnet and ate the pieces because I wanted my blood to be magnetic, or to have some sort of superpower. When I’m acting for our work, I get that feeling of transformation for sure. It’s not really the leading force behind making work, but I like how electric things can get sometimes. It’s a rush.
One of the first things that drew me to your work was the fact that it came in GIF form, the ultimate in short films! C: I like GIFs because they don’t require a play button and it’s really amazing, the things you can come up with when you are working with such a small amount of time. I think it forces us to challenge the medium and try to find loopholes to tell longer stories in shorts. Another thing that I have always really enjoyed about making GIFs is the stop-motion element that goes into them. I like that you are essentially creating a flipbook. I might be wrong, but I feel like music is one of the hidden aspects of your work—given that I don’t think anyone can make those GIFs without setting the right mood with the right groove. That, and it seems that your characters are heavily influenced by music and style icons. C: I grew up listening to everything that my dad played
from Jimi Hendrix to the Talking Heads. When I got older I got into everything from David Bowie and The Clash to M.I.A., Cyndi Lauper, The Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop—the list goes on. I realized how intertwined music and fashion are. I also learned that music and politics are friends too, which makes me happy. It does seem to have carried over. [Laughs] If you listen to Daft Punk you will notice that a lot of our GIFs move in synch to a lot of their songs. We just really like music and couldn’t live without it. What’s next for you guys? C: We are working on mostly video projects at the moment. We have a lot of GIF ideas to work on soon, but for the time being we are excited to make short films. Were in the process of storyboarding a comic book video!
mikeandclaire.com
With that in mind, what goes into conceptualizing each persona? M: Everything and everyone is different. Some characters take a while to get right, while others we can just come up with on the spot. Claire: Our inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere. Recently, inspiration came from Bellatrix Lestrange.
statusmagonline.com - 73