Joan C. Gratz's Oscar-Winning Claymation 'Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase'
American filmmaker Joan C. Gratz (born 1941) created the animated short film 'Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase', which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1992. The film uses a clay painting technique, manipulating small pieces of oil-based clay on a surface similar to an easel, to morph through dozens of masterpieces of modern art. It spans movements from Post-Impressionism (Van Gogh, Gauguin) to contemporary painting (Chuck Close), including Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Dada, and Pop Art. Gratz spent a decade producing the film, meticulously reproducing each artwork and its transitions frame by frame.
Key facts
- Joan C. Gratz is an American filmmaker born in 1941.
- 'Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase' won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 1992.
- The film uses a clay painting technique (claymation).
- It morphs through dozens of modern and contemporary art masterpieces.
- Art movements covered include Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Dada, and Pop Art.
- Artists referenced include Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Chuck Close.
- Gratz worked on the film for a decade.
- The technique involves hand-manipulating oil-based clay on a surface and photographing each frame.
Entities
Artists
- Joan C. Gratz
- Vincent van Gogh
- Paul Gauguin
- Chuck Close
Institutions
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Locations
- United States