Life Size
by: Pseudo Nym
Gallery Opening Photos by Anna Wright
by: Pseudo Nym
Gallery Opening Photos by Anna Wright
It was a brisk evening on January 30, 2016 when I walked through the basement door of a refurbished warehouse in West Nashville Tennessee called Houston Station. An intriguing notion had brought me to this off beat location. I had received an invite to experience the world's largest graphic novel and coincidentally the largest single collection of paintings to ever be displayed in Nashville to boot.
The invite was a personal one from the artist himself whom I had met previously through the social media exchange 'ello'. The moment I entered that vintage brick building I was struck with the enormity of the event. There was a line of excited patrons (some had waited four years for this night) stretching from the doorway, through several rooms, up a flight of stairs, down another long hallway on the second floor and ending at the threshold of an art center called abrasiveMedia.
This special evening was more than just a gallery opening. This was a once in a lifetime event. A spectacle of immersive storybook narrative, dimensional visual art and costumed performers all accompanied by a live harpist. Around every corner of the event was a new experience. You could join the cosplay contest, talk to the actual character models, take a journey into the making of the project, hang out at one of the two themed bars for drinks and socializing, ask any burning question you had during the q&a, and of course the artist was there to hug his fans and sign his John Hancock on merch.
There was barely enough time to read through the entire story that stretched across 300+ paintings and still join in the rest of the festivities that night. The gallery owners must have realized this and informed the crowd that the gallery would be open to the public for the month of February for anyone desiring to take their time reading through the narrative.
The artist himself was unforgettable. Most of David's slim, tall figure was fitted in anachronistic formal wear. Leaving only his skinny forearms exposed. Thin like you think of a starving child from a third world nation. His unkempt forest of frizzy brunet hair hovered over a wrinkled brow and piercing eyes that hid behind well worn glasses perched on a nose that crooked slightly to the left. Giving an immediate impression of an artist you would find on the back of a novel rather than the cover of a glossy magazine. David was bursting with observations of dark humor and social satire; a trait which prevails throughout the writing of his graphic novel
After the exciting opening night of 'Th3 Anomaly: Crossing The Rubicon" I began following David J Landry's career with some interest. I wondered when the rest of the world would catch on. But nothing happened. There were no articles in popular or even local art magazines. No documentaries came out about this life changing experience. The show never went on tour. There was even a lack of virality on social media. I was bewildered. Had it all been a crazy dream?
In 2018 I traveled back to Tennessee and caught up with David at his cozy 1940's home in east Nashville. I spoke with him about his art, Th3 Anomaly and his life since that wondrous evening two years prior.
David J Landry in 2018 with his 2 year old son Jules
Nym- “Tell me about what happened after February 2016.”
Landry- “Let me take you back a hair further to nearly the end of 2015. I was working on the graphic design for the printed book version of Crossing The Rubicon and I was curious how many hours of labor everyone had donated over the 4 years getting the project done. What I discovered was a reality check about how artists are treated in the fine arts. At that moment I knew I needed to find a better path with my life and my art. So when the the show ended I put that portion of my life in storage. It honestly did not matter to me that it was such a runaway success. I had made up my mind before the gallery even opened that I would no longer work in the fine arts. I needed to pursue something better for my life and how I treated other artists around me.”
Landry- “Let me take you back a hair further to nearly the end of 2015. I was working on the graphic design for the printed book version of Crossing The Rubicon and I was curious how many hours of labor everyone had donated over the 4 years getting the project done. What I discovered was a reality check about how artists are treated in the fine arts. At that moment I knew I needed to find a better path with my life and my art. So when the the show ended I put that portion of my life in storage. It honestly did not matter to me that it was such a runaway success. I had made up my mind before the gallery even opened that I would no longer work in the fine arts. I needed to pursue something better for my life and how I treated other artists around me.”
Nym- “Just how successful was this project to you?”
Landry- “Opening night, after we finished setting up, everyone else went to get dinner before we opened to the public and I stayed behind. I walked the halls of the gallery, alone, and I found myself surrounded by an experience beyond anything I had imagined my art could ever be. At that moment it was as though I was standing on the top of Mount Everest. And I am forever indebted to abrasiveMedia for providing me with that mountaintop experience. This was by far the most successful art project I have ever worked on. In one three hour show both abrasiveMedia and myself had recouped all our costs, all of the printed books had sold out and I had sold four paintings. During one month on display over two thousand people viewed the show. Later that year I was asked to be the guest speaker at the Literacy Research Association's annual conference in regard to the impact my life size graphic novel had on the changing landscape of literature. The following year I was invited to present a chapter at Hypericon. I was asked to show at other galleries and approached by several artist agents, but at that point my course had been altered too much.”
Landry- “Opening night, after we finished setting up, everyone else went to get dinner before we opened to the public and I stayed behind. I walked the halls of the gallery, alone, and I found myself surrounded by an experience beyond anything I had imagined my art could ever be. At that moment it was as though I was standing on the top of Mount Everest. And I am forever indebted to abrasiveMedia for providing me with that mountaintop experience. This was by far the most successful art project I have ever worked on. In one three hour show both abrasiveMedia and myself had recouped all our costs, all of the printed books had sold out and I had sold four paintings. During one month on display over two thousand people viewed the show. Later that year I was asked to be the guest speaker at the Literacy Research Association's annual conference in regard to the impact my life size graphic novel had on the changing landscape of literature. The following year I was invited to present a chapter at Hypericon. I was asked to show at other galleries and approached by several artist agents, but at that point my course had been altered too much.”
Nym- “I do not understand that. Anyone else would have been swept away with the success. Why walk away? It sounds like you were desiring a change in the fine art ecosystem. Wouldn't you have made a larger impact for change if you had stayed?
Landry- “You ask a good question, and one that most people have a misunderstanding about. My choices were not perfect, but they were the right ones for me. If I had stayed it would have eventually destroyed me. Instead I chose life. Sure in the process I lost the access to reaching large crowds with my message, but I am still changing lives; one artist at a time.”
Landry- “You ask a good question, and one that most people have a misunderstanding about. My choices were not perfect, but they were the right ones for me. If I had stayed it would have eventually destroyed me. Instead I chose life. Sure in the process I lost the access to reaching large crowds with my message, but I am still changing lives; one artist at a time.”
Nym- “Was there a part of the opening night that was pleasantly surprising for you or a favorite moment you remember?”
Landry- “Yes to both. Before the show I never considered how people would interact with the story. I guess I just assumed everyone would individually walk through and quietly read the narrative to themselves. But during the event I saw groups walking through together reading and reacting out loud. I saw friends holding each other during the emotional moments of the story. I saw families pointing out their favorite parts to each other. I saw people going back and reading portions out of order. It became a beautiful reflection of our diversity and I believe that it created a new way of reading a book; it took something private and made it a social exchange.
Landry- “Yes to both. Before the show I never considered how people would interact with the story. I guess I just assumed everyone would individually walk through and quietly read the narrative to themselves. But during the event I saw groups walking through together reading and reacting out loud. I saw friends holding each other during the emotional moments of the story. I saw families pointing out their favorite parts to each other. I saw people going back and reading portions out of order. It became a beautiful reflection of our diversity and I believe that it created a new way of reading a book; it took something private and made it a social exchange.
Nym- “For myself, and I am sure for countless others, your art changed how I thought about comic books, fine art and literature in general. You had one of the most prolific and robust short careers in the fine arts. The impact and influence that you had is immeasurable. You were a titan. So when you stopped doing visual art it felt like the death of Superman. I can't even imagine what heights you would have soared to if you had continued to create art. I still hold out hope for your triumphant return to the arts. Am I mislead in envisioning a more mature, world traveled Anomaly part two that flies in and saves the day?”
Landry- “I like the analogy, but rather than thinking of my experience departing fine arts as the death of Superman, think of it rather as the beginning of the story where Kal-El's selfless father has the foresight to send his son away from planet Krypton before it self destructs. I had become part of a destructive ecosystem. In my selfishness I had allowed myself to use the unpaid labor of other artists to the tune of over half a million dollars. I had forgotten that art was a spiritual gift meant to bring light to the darkness. In my rush to the top I had replaced our Creator with my own ego. I needed to be put in check and in the process of being pulled out of that ecosystem was able to see how so much of the population in the fine arts are unfortunately part of this ancient self destructive system that uses each other as rungs on a ladder. I hope that if nothing else my experiences serve as a warning that we can all treat each other better. To act selflessly and to be beacons of light rather than just pointing out the darkness. I am still creating art, like I said; this isn't the death of Superman. You'll just have to look for my art outside of that old ecosystem. In your analohy the last son of Krypton can't return to his planet of birth because even small fragments of it are poison to him. Until what is poisonous (to a lot of artists) about the fine art system is changed I will, for now, try to bring hope to a new ecosystem. Sometimes hope doesn't seem like much to offer when there are real needs, but when it is all you have at least it is a start.”
Landry- “I like the analogy, but rather than thinking of my experience departing fine arts as the death of Superman, think of it rather as the beginning of the story where Kal-El's selfless father has the foresight to send his son away from planet Krypton before it self destructs. I had become part of a destructive ecosystem. In my selfishness I had allowed myself to use the unpaid labor of other artists to the tune of over half a million dollars. I had forgotten that art was a spiritual gift meant to bring light to the darkness. In my rush to the top I had replaced our Creator with my own ego. I needed to be put in check and in the process of being pulled out of that ecosystem was able to see how so much of the population in the fine arts are unfortunately part of this ancient self destructive system that uses each other as rungs on a ladder. I hope that if nothing else my experiences serve as a warning that we can all treat each other better. To act selflessly and to be beacons of light rather than just pointing out the darkness. I am still creating art, like I said; this isn't the death of Superman. You'll just have to look for my art outside of that old ecosystem. In your analohy the last son of Krypton can't return to his planet of birth because even small fragments of it are poison to him. Until what is poisonous (to a lot of artists) about the fine art system is changed I will, for now, try to bring hope to a new ecosystem. Sometimes hope doesn't seem like much to offer when there are real needs, but when it is all you have at least it is a start.”
Working after the hours of his day job and on weekends, it took David 7,000+ hours over the course of 4 years to complete all 321 paintings.
To give some perspective on the size of this graphic novel, according to guinnessworldrecords the largest graphic novel that existed until now is the size of just one of Th3 Anomaly's medium sized paintings!
A candid shot from one of the photoshoots.
And the final painting that was created.
One of the many challenges faced by this project was the stigma that comic book art has in the world of fine art. Only through years of relentless campaigning and the immense support from abrasiveMedia, fans and art appreciators such as Gordon and Elizabeth Gilbreath, Th3 Anomaly was able to break through that outdated stigma to show that comic art is in fact 'high art' enough for the walls of fine art galleries.
Facts:
The physical "pages" of
Th3 Anomaly are 8 feet tall.
The display encompass over 300 linear feet of gallery space.
Some of the individual paintings are 5 feet tall!
The paintings are displayed 3-dimensionally atop each other, to simulate the layout of a graphic novel on a gallery wall.
The physical "pages" of
Th3 Anomaly are 8 feet tall.
The display encompass over 300 linear feet of gallery space.
Some of the individual paintings are 5 feet tall!
The paintings are displayed 3-dimensionally atop each other, to simulate the layout of a graphic novel on a gallery wall.
Cast of Characters
DAVID LANDRY
- 'Nikola',
'Jr.',
'Milutin',
all the extras
KELLY LANDRY
- 'Maureen',
'Amelia',
Sarah's magic hand
AUDRA ALMOND-HARVEY -
'Sarah'
JUDAH TODD
- '1st Hetzel'
/
SELAH HARVEY -
'Young Hetzel',
'Young Nikola'
REBECCA HAMPTON-BARGER -
'Orius'
MICHAEL BARGER -
'Jules' /
JAMES TODD -
Jules' hand
DAVID THOMAS -
'Steve'
KATIE ROCK -
'Young Orius'
DIANNE KILMER -
'Duka'
JUSTIN HARVEY,
RONI BHULLAR,
DAN WRIGHT,
ASHLEY LITCHFORD,
JOSH RITTER,
CORY DUNSON -
'Ninja-Pirates'
The Volunteer Air Kraken Crew
DAVID LANDRY
creator
art director
writer
character designer
prop designer
storyboard artist
painter
photographer
graphic designer
KELLY LANDRY
costume designer
seamstress
volunteer manager
story editor
graphic designer
AUDRA ALMOND-HARVEY
campaign coordinator
story editor
web designer
graphic designer
PAT GRIFITH
story editor
ANNA ROCK
lead photographer
JUSTIN HARVEY
photographer
JACK JENNINGS
photographer
JOSH RITTER
photographer
MIKE LAW
science consultant
EDWIN LANDRY
carpenter
MELISSA CHERAN
global solutions agent
GEORGE FRONIMOPOULOS
future paradigm architect
LARA ALLEN FABANS
internal tactics liason
Other Volunteers:
ALLEY ROCK
KATIE ROCK
KAT JONES
YUI BREEDLOVE
ADRIENNE HENTCHEL
A Special Thanks To:
Gordon & Elizabeth Gilbreath
& Houston Station
Financial Investors:
Ed & Janet Landry
Michelle & Pascal Jouvence
Maureen & Steve Froyum
Charles Dawson
James Todd
Chip & Katie
Matthew Shallue
Troy & Trisha Crisco
Andrea Froyum
Audra Harvey
Andrew Collins
Anchor Fellowship
Jooil Jun
Kathryn Shaw
Ian Cull
Harald Demler
Kat Jones
viragodawg
Andrew Jones
Rebekah Hampton
Jim Wolf
Daniel Landry
kelvarus
Anna Rock
Mark Hayton
Kate
Satheian
Brendan Tihane
Amaquieria
Totus Mel
John Colagioia
Lisa Timberlake
Alfred Huang
Rachel Butler
Shane B. Bauer
Leigh Ward
Nell Minow
David Safford
mflgrmp
Eye of the Heart
Seravin Behnken
Douglas Bramlett
Jodie Olive
Grace Anzelmo
Keri Utley
Dan Wright
Stanley Slater
E.J. Bocan
Electric Jellyfish Comics
Zeke Hanson
joe768
Francis Waltz
Lara Allen Fabans
George Fronimopoulos
Melissa Cheran
Pierre Minet
Jennifer Klettke
Alex Reader
Anna Rodgers
vbcsgtscud
Reidin Dintzner
creator
art director
writer
character designer
prop designer
storyboard artist
painter
photographer
graphic designer
KELLY LANDRY
costume designer
seamstress
volunteer manager
story editor
graphic designer
AUDRA ALMOND-HARVEY
campaign coordinator
story editor
web designer
graphic designer
PAT GRIFITH
story editor
ANNA ROCK
lead photographer
JUSTIN HARVEY
photographer
JACK JENNINGS
photographer
JOSH RITTER
photographer
MIKE LAW
science consultant
EDWIN LANDRY
carpenter
MELISSA CHERAN
global solutions agent
GEORGE FRONIMOPOULOS
future paradigm architect
LARA ALLEN FABANS
internal tactics liason
Other Volunteers:
ALLEY ROCK
KATIE ROCK
KAT JONES
YUI BREEDLOVE
ADRIENNE HENTCHEL
A Special Thanks To:
Gordon & Elizabeth Gilbreath
& Houston Station
Financial Investors:
Ed & Janet Landry
Michelle & Pascal Jouvence
Maureen & Steve Froyum
Charles Dawson
James Todd
Chip & Katie
Matthew Shallue
Troy & Trisha Crisco
Andrea Froyum
Audra Harvey
Andrew Collins
Anchor Fellowship
Jooil Jun
Kathryn Shaw
Ian Cull
Harald Demler
Kat Jones
viragodawg
Andrew Jones
Rebekah Hampton
Jim Wolf
Daniel Landry
kelvarus
Anna Rock
Mark Hayton
Kate
Satheian
Brendan Tihane
Amaquieria
Totus Mel
John Colagioia
Lisa Timberlake
Alfred Huang
Rachel Butler
Shane B. Bauer
Leigh Ward
Nell Minow
David Safford
mflgrmp
Eye of the Heart
Seravin Behnken
Douglas Bramlett
Jodie Olive
Grace Anzelmo
Keri Utley
Dan Wright
Stanley Slater
E.J. Bocan
Electric Jellyfish Comics
Zeke Hanson
joe768
Francis Waltz
Lara Allen Fabans
George Fronimopoulos
Melissa Cheran
Pierre Minet
Jennifer Klettke
Alex Reader
Anna Rodgers
vbcsgtscud
Reidin Dintzner
Easter Eggs
Congratulations on finding this website's Easter egg! Speaking of hidden nuggets, Th3 Anomaly is chock-full of them. Endlessly layered like a delicious cake. Mmmm, cake. If you find an Easter egg, let David know and he will post it here!
To start things off here's a freebie:
There are 5 recognizable Nashville locations that were painted into the story. Can you name them all?
Here are the eggs that have been discovered so far:
Hidden in the pages are small groups of numbers. Stergios Botzakis discovered these numbers and guessed that they had to do with the order in which one reads the panels. He guessed incorrectly. ...
Seemi Aziz realized that the name Hetzel (the son of Jules Verne in the story) in real life was the name of Jules' publisher.
Th3 Anomaly is a trademark (TM) of David Landry. All names, characters, places, and events portrayed in Th3 Anomaly are copyright (c) 2011 by David Landry and are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real life is happening entirely in your mind and you may wish to seek out psychiatric help.
