Friday, January 06, 2012

Sculpture wars

The gloves are off in the wax sculpture business. LA wax museum Madame Tussauds has thrown the first punch with a we-are-better-than-they-are exhibition aimed at the Hollywood Wax Museum down the road. Its wax sculpture of the thin tattooed Jolie one has been set up against a full-sized image of the Hollywood Wax Museum’s effort. Neither really hit the spot, and they do show how good artists like Duane Hanson are at not only making believable likenesses but (possibly more importantly) at stance, gesture and context. 

While the Hollywood Wax Museum’s version does look a bit like Angelina Jolie it is obviously after a very hard day and lacks Tussauds' convincing super bra confidence. Back to the ring. In the first clinch Tussauds hissed that Hollywood’s efforts were kitsch but Hollywood hissed right back that kitsch was what they were selling numb nuts and at a better price ($25 entry to Tussauds, $12.95 for the Hollywood experience). We’ll keep you up with the fight as it continues.
Images: Tom Cruise via left, Madame Tussauds and right, the Hollywood Wax Museum.