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After the eyes and tee
« on: Sep 2nd, 2018, 9:07pm » |
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Buddhist monks bless Cambodian peacekeepers with holy waters at a departure ceremony， in Phnom Penh， Cambodia， Nov. 2， 2016. Cambodia dispatched the third batch of 216 peacekeepers to join a United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday. (XinhuaPhearum)
" Zoe Walton Chaussures Nike Air VaporMax Plus Homme Rouge Pas Cher , studio manager of Madame Tussauds Sydney, applies the finishing touches to a wax model of Johnny Depp at Madame Tussauds Beijing, which opens to the public on May 31. Photo: Li HaoGT Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and Chinese real estate tycoon Pan Shiy are among the line up of wax models on display at Madame Tussauds Beijing. Photos: Courtesy of Madame Tussauds Beijing Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and Chinese real estate tycoon Pan Shiy are among the line up of wax models on display at Madame Tussauds Beijing. Photos: Courtesy of Madame Tussauds Beijing Chinese journalist and talk show host Yang Lan inspects her wax model at Madame Tussauds Beijing. Photo: CFP
In the modern era, the cult of celebrity is no longer exclusive in elite and wealthy circles. The rise of mass media and the Internet have made fame and celebrity more achievable, but this hasn't diminished the appeal of celebrities in the public eye.
Madame Tussauds gave Metropolitan a sneak peek of its Beijing museum at Qianmen Dajie on May 23, a week ahead of its official opening. It is the third Madame Tussauds museum on the Chinese mainland, joining ones in Shanghai and Wuhan, Hubei province. The Beijing museum features notable figures from the past and present, but it also includes a diverse mix of star look-alikes from the East and West.
Diverse appeal
Roaming around the museum is like being on a celebrity safari. It's easy to feel astonished, excited and even haunted spotting the sea of famous faces. The lifeless gazes of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and Russian President Vladimir Putin illuminated by high-wattage bulbs is enough to send a chill - or thrill - down anyone's spine.
For Chinese visitors, many who have witnessed the rise of celebrity culture dominated by Western individualism and consumerism over the past two decades, Madame Tussauds is an ideal place to understand celebrities through their wax look-alikes.
"Compared with attractions around the world, Madame Tussauds Beijing features a fusion of Western and Chinese cultures," Wang Rui, general manager of Madame Tussauds Beijing, told Metropolitan while seated near a wax model of Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp. "Visitors will see Chinese elements not in small fragments but as a whole in the presentation of exhibits. It is so deeply related to local people that Chinese visitors will feel the studio is for them."
A tour of the "Spirit of China" exhibition begins with a familiar hutong scene. Wang declined to name wax models in the exhibition, only hinting that some of them were Chinese business leaders.
In addition to Putin, the museum's other political heavyweight includes US President Barack Obama. "The [Oval Office] scene featuring Obama is identical to the White House. Many people enjoy taking photos with Obama at his desk [at other Madame Tussauds museums]," said Wang. There is also a touch of nobility from Madame Tussauds' regular guests: the British royal family.
The all-star lineup of sports celebrities includes British footballer David Beckham, but not in his trademark sports kit. For those who prefer stars from the entertainment world, American pop diva Lady Gaga joins Chinese rock icon Cui Jian, as well as two models of kung fu legend Jackie Chan in different poses.
Madame Tussauds is not a museum strictly in the mold of others. There is no rope to separate visitors from exhibits. People are invited to pose with the venue's famous look-alikes, whether they wish to rub shoulders with royal family members or play tennis with Li Na.
"Interactivity between visitors and wax figures gives consumers a better experience," said Wang.
Sculptors of the stars
Ahead of the museum's opening which coincides with Dragon Boat Festival, a couple of sculptors and painters were still adding the final touches to some wax models' heads. Arms and legs of the figures were eerily laid on the shelves, waiting to be assembled with their celebrities. The figures, all made in Britain, were exported to Beijing, with each costing about 150,000 pounds ($252,465).
Zoe Walton, studio manager of Madame Tussauds Sydney, led a team of local employees in assembling and decorating wax models in Beijing.
"If you love art and design, it is a wonderful job working here," said Walton, a Briton who has worked with the company for 15 years. Before making wax models, Walton studied art and design and worked in theater.
The process of making a wax model can take up to six months, requiring the efforts of a team of artists. "Ideally, we have a meeting with the celebrity, discussing the pose they are going to be seen in. Then we take hundreds of photographs in that pose as they stand on the turntable," Walton explained.
The team then takes measurements to ensure the wax model is a lifelike replica of its living celebrity. A palette of colors is mixed on site in accordance with hair and eye colors. All measurements and other specifications are taken back to the sculptor, who spends weeks creating the head and body of the model.
"Next, it goes to the molding department where the clay-sculpted figure is turned to a mold made in a fiberglass body and wax figure," Walton said.
After the eyes and teeth are fitted, hair is painstakingly thread using a needle over six weeks. The face is made of multiple wax layers featuring different hand-painted colors.
Finally, the model gets a quick makeover worthy of any celebrity by having their hair cut and styled, makeup applied and clothes f.
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