Entertainment Weekly – The 5th Element 2017

Robert Sammelin made this artwork, Entertainment Weekly – The 5th Element, sometime in the 20th century, using bright colors with hard outlines. The composition is dominated by graphic lines and flat planes of color that create a dynamic, sci-fi scene. The figures in the foreground have raised their hands, as if they are sensing the environment, or maybe even trying to change it. The background with the cityscape suggests a dense futuristic environment, and the simple lines on the foreground plane bring to mind the drawings of Chris Ware. I can imagine Sammelin experimenting, finding the balance between clarity and complexity to capture the frenetic energy of the movie. You can really see the exchange of ideas across time and space. Sammelin invites us into the world of the film, but we get to bring our own associations. It's a dance between vision and interpretation.