Mèlusine
Dancer
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Artist
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Photographer
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Adventure in
Awesome Imagery
Photos: Johannes Hjorth
Dancer
Adventure in
Mèlusine
Dancer
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Artist
+
Photographer
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Adventure in
Awesome Imagery
About Mèlusine, a most unusual web creation.
In the creators’ very own words.
Elisa Lons, Dancer, from Paris: It is personally gratifying that my work is appreciated. My goals are to be recognized first and foremost as a dancer, to have meaningful roles to dance, and to flourish in this wonderful profession.
Elaine Chiu, Artist, from Hong Kong: Johannes and I didn’t have a really concrete plan about our design concepts. He suggested to me that we could do a “spreading” pattern on Elisa, that we could animate the growing effect. We were still discussing whether to use architectural forms (which is my painting focus). Then, when I met Elisa, my mind’s answer became clear: when I saw her ballerina moves I wanted to paint flowers, a pattern less geometric and more organic … to express femininity through body paint.
Johannes Hjorth, Photographer, from Stockholm: Though my day job is as scientist on the Human Brain Project which aims to create a computer model of the human brain, photography is my big hobby. It is really fun to photograph with actors and dancers who love being in front of the camera. For Mèlusine, our plan was to have the body paint evolve throughout the photoshoot, making it into a living thing that changed. So between the photos, Elaine would step in and add some more details to the painting.
And here’s the amazing behind the scenes video!
Elisa Lons, Elaine Chiu, and Johannes Hjorth in NPAFE’s words…
Photo: Johannes Hjorth
While the power of pure genius can take many forms, none are quite like the “Mèlusine” internet creation, which has come our way and yours from the awesome genius of Elisa Lons, Elaine Chiu, and Johannes Hjorth.
All usual superlatives apply, certainly including “creative”, “magical”, “evocative”, “emotional”, even “eye-popping”. But those words barely scratch the surface.
Photo: Johannes Hjorth
What informs our praise of Lons’, Chiu’s and Hjorth’s genius in Mèlusine – and what will inform yours – is a rare moment that these three craftspeople offer for you to witness their own distinctive creative process who succeed in enchantment right from the start.
Mèlusine is a finely-crafted work of visual, literary, and body movement crafted by three people hailing from distant corners of the globe, each nominally different from one-another by virtue of their professions yet perfectly bound together in unison as they harness their magical mystery of common purpose, passion, and shared inspiration.
Photo: Johannes Hjorth
Mèlusine shouts out: “Let’s experiment. Let’s explore. Let’s combine our three so separate skills of artistry – of the body’s movement, of the camera, and of the paintbrush – into a perfect unity of creative storytelling.”
While Mèlusine may be the beauty of image, words, and extraordinary body art, it is story-telling of risk-taking, of uncovering one’s inner soul and letting the rest of the world see it, feel it, almost touch it.
We see – you see – the soul of the remarkable ballerina-modern dancer-choreographer Elisa Lons, from France, whose images and self rise from the page.
Photo: Johannes Hjorth
You see the soul of Elaine Chiu, from Hong Kong, who for Mèlusine set aside her acclaimed artistry of capturing urban architecture on canvas and paper, instead bringing forth from her mind an image of floral beauty, making it move – literally – on the canvas of Lons’ own body.
Elaine Chiu painting on the canvas of Elisa Lons’ body.
Photo: Johannes Hjorth
And for sure, it is the soul of photographer and writer Johannes Hjorth, from Stockholm, who in all of his works shares with the world an uncanny power to capture the essence of whatever he sees and feels, transforming his stunning vision as few can into compelling photo images, thoughts and words that carry the rest of us to the stars.
Actually, in Mèlusine, all three – Elisa, Elaine, and Johannes – carry us to the stars, as you are about to find out for yourself: Click here to see the full Mèlusine portfolio.
From Elaine Chiu…
“Painting directly on the body is a great way to experiment with the rhythm created by a female, classical dancer’s body move.
“We started with Elisa’s hands and fingers with black paint. I tended to use curve lines a lot to match her body and moves. The flower would then spread to her arms and to her back. Once it reaches her back, the flower grows into full bloom.
“I took the form of the lily because I think it suits Elisa’s character a lot. From roots to the bloom, the colour scheme changed from darker to brighter. That’s the change of mood that we wanted to have as a storyline.
“This is our process; everything happens very organically. I prefer matching my painting to the model’s character and put her dance rhythm in visual form.
11 March 2020
**Johannes Hjorth writes: For those wondering about the title Mélusine, it was chosen by Elisa Lons herself. Mélusine is a French mythical creature: a woman with a serpent’s lower body, much like a mermaid. Several royal houses used to claim to be descendants of Mélusine. You can read more about the legends of Mélusine on Wikipedia.
Video: Behind the Scenes – How Mélusine Came To Be
Turn your mobile device sideways to watch this video in total full screen!
Elaine Chiu and Elisa Lons at work, Johannes Hjorth filming
In Stockholm, February, 2020
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To find out more about these three great creatives:
Elisa Lons: Instagram
Elaine Chiu: https://www.elainechiu.com/
Johannes Hjorth: https://photo.johanneshjorth.se/