Rebecca Rubenstein

Stuffed Animal Family Album And Bubble Test

The series, which I call the Stuffed Animal Family Album, is the result of a discovery I made after purchasing my first scanner.

I needed something to put on the scanner bed to test the scanner out for the first time. I grabbed my favorite stuffed dog, placed him directly on the scanner bed, and closed the lid on top of him. What I saw when I printed my scan was not my favorite stuffed dog, "Crocker," anymore. I saw something distorted, flattened, watery, and even a bit scary. I had hit on something.

This was my stuffed animal which comforted me in childhood. The scan brings this object into an unknown place. My "Crocker" is no longer a safety net for me. I now become vulnerable in connection with this object. I like being in this space. It is an unknown space with immense promise.

I took such inspiration and motivation from the feelings I was having when looking at my initial "Crocker" scan I have taken on the project scanning all the stuffed animals in my childhood collection.

Each scan is unique in its distortion and color, depending on two variables: the way the natural light hits the scanner and the degree in which the scanner lid is open. Once the stuffed animal is scanned into my computer I am able to scale its physical size to any measurements, large or small. I experiment with the issue of scale to bring up ideas of preciousness or comfort versus monumentality or the unknown.

Bubble Test

This series of prints involves further experiments with my scanner. I deal with color, form, light and shadow. These experiments also concern the number of gumballs placed on the scanner.

Allowing for a more dynamic composition, the least controlled aspect of Bubble Test is the placement of the gumballs.

I enjoy the interchange of ideas between Bubble Test and Stuffed Animal Family Album.

Most recently I have begun to scan animal crackers and sketches of my dog.