In cinematic storytelling, the frame bounds not just a physical space, but the psychological state it evokes. Presented within the framework of The Lost World exhibition, this trilogy reconstructs classical fairytale tropes through today’s uncanny and alienated human-nature relationship.
In the classic myth of Alice in Wonderland, falling down the rabbit hole opens the door to a whimsical, fantastical realm. In this series, however, that rabbit hole transforms into a dystopian forest where civilization has retreated and nature has recoiled into its own heavy silence. The Alice before us has lost her innocence and wonder; shrouded in a timeless black dress and dark shades, she is an outsider who neither belongs to this «lost world» nor can escape it.
As a director, my primary focus when framing these shots was the dynamic yet severed connection between the character and her environment:
• The Threshold (Entry): The character stepping into the forest’s depths with her back turned symbolizes leaving the familiar world behind and surrendering to the uncanny.
• The Encounter (Gaze): Positioned at the center of a dark tunnel formed by trees, her direct gaze toward the viewer serves as a stark reminder: this «wonderland» is no fairy tale, but a dystopian reality where one confronts their own isolation.
• The Immersion (Absorption): The character shrinking within the towering, suffocating texture of the forest emphasizes human powerlessness and the finality of getting lost.
Where copper and muted tones replace lush greens, the visuals mirror a fading memory and a lost ecosystem. Ultimately, this triptych leaves the viewer standing at the edge of a single question: Is the world at the end of the rabbit hole truly lost, or are we the ones lost within it?