Final

Rationale

Rationale

I chose to present my triptych as a loop, to mirror the cyclical and repetitive nature of the song. I decided to represent Hotel California as a statement on cosmetic surgery, mostly due to the lines, “we are all just prisoners here/ of our own device”. It seemed to me that it was a line about willingly trapping oneself in a vicious cycle, and in this case, the vicious cycle of trying to improve one’s looks.

The first sequence is based on the lyrics “stabbed it with their steely knives/ but they just can’t kill the beast”. There was a discussion on what knives could represent, and from knives we went to scalpels and from there another step to needles. To me, the lyric meant that you could inject as much botox as you could into yourself, but that it would never satisfy the basic insecurities you had about yourself.

The second sequence is based on the line “we are all just prisoners here/ of our own device”. It shows a parade of people going through a revolving mirror and ending up on the other side all looking the same. It’s about how people just keep trying to change how they look in order to suit society’s standards, and in the end lose what they really look like.

The third sequence is based on the line “there she stood in the doorway/ I heard the mission bell”. In this case the “she” is referring to the nurse, motioning in a kind of sinister welcome. I thought it would be an appropriately creepy way to end the triptych.

Inspirations

NATHAN OTA

ZDZISLAW BEKINSKI

These two artists are my primary sources of information for colour palettes and the generally creepy gothic feel I'm going for. While Nathan Ota has a very clean style with occasional bursts of colour, Zdzislaw Bekinski's art  is more subdued in tone and his line work is less defined. Currently, I'm looking to Bekinski for the treatment of his backgrounds and combining it with the colours Nathan Ota uses. 

Triptych initial tests

Stabbed it with their steely knives / But they just can't kill the beast

I substituted knives for needles to convey the message that no matter how much cosmetic surgery a person does, they'll never "kill the beast" of their insecurity .

So she lit up the candle / and she showed me the way

The lady in this case is a sinister nurse

And she said, "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"

It's supposed to be someone who looks into a mirror and sees herself as a less attractive version of herself. She  tries to change her appearance but in the end keeps finding other things to change, thus entering a never-ending vicious cycle. I'm still tinkering with the imagery; the mirror could possible resemble a surgical table etc.

Thumbnails: Story 1

Story 1:

Girl in a surgical gown running down a dark hospital corridor. She has flashbacks of various things she's seen in the hospital; people getting botox, people constantly trying to improve their appearances through surgery etc. She finally almost reaches the exit door, but catches sight of a mirror near the exit. She looks into the mirror and all she sees is a grotesquely fat person. She turns and sees a nurse, who beckons to her. They disappear down the dark hallway together.

Reference: Distorting mirrors

Reference: hospitals

References: nurses

References: cosmetic surgery

Further Interpretations of Hotel California

Hotel California - More than just a place

We discussed about how the idea of a Hotel California could refer to more than an actual physical hotel, or even any sort of place. So we came up with a list of metaphors Hotel California could possibly be alluding to:

- Alcohol/ drug addiction
This one was one of the first things to came to mind, especially when referring back to the lyrics of the song (you can check out any time you like/ but you can never leave), possibly referring to hard it is to kick the habit.

- Mind
We came up with a theory that Hotel California could simply be an allegory for the workings of the mind. Be it mental illness, or simply thinking so constantly and obsessively that you are unable to leave the inner workings of your own mind.

- Jail
Again playing on the last line of the song, but also with the idea of repetition in the song. The idea of these people trapped in the hotel going over the same motions over and over again has the image of the prisoners doing about their routine. Also, the lyric that says "stabbed it with their steely knives/ but they just can't kill the beast"  somehow brings to mind a prison brawl.

- Relationship/ divorce
We also thought this song could be about the aftermath of a relationship.

- Cosmetic surgery
Then she lit up the candle/ and she showed me the way - the nurse
Stabbed it with their steely knives - scalpels or syringes
Just can't kill the beast - the patient's own insecurities about their appearance

Mirrors on the ceiling - was thinking it could be one of those warped mirrors from the circus that makes you look fat
Pink champagne on ice - a blood bag?
We are all just prisoners here/ Of our own device - The patients choose to inflict this on themselves

The Chorus

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year
You can find it here

Such a lovely face - the image of a face inked with the pre-cosmetic surgery markings