Auntie's Factory: Canteen
Video, 2023
About the artwork
This AI animation brings to life the dining scenes within Auntie’s Factory, a beloved landmark in the Auntieverse. The setting is a gastronomic wonderland, filled with oversized sushi and ramen, where aunties enjoy a feast in great abundance. The animation begins with aunties lounging in large bowls of soup ramen, creating a whimsical and unusual spa experience. This is followed by lively scenes of aunties, cats, and frogs noisily slurping noodles. The narrative then transitions back to the dining hall, characterised by its dramatic displays of sushi banquets arranged on round tables and in various seating arrays. Drawing inspiration from Asia’s rich food culture, which emphasises community sharing and social dining, these banquets are portrayed as a familiar and inviting spectacle. Created in Dalle3 and animated in Runwayml, with sound design by Niceaunties.
Sound design by Niceaunties
Audio explanation
Listen to Niceaunties discuss this work.
Niceaunties is a contemporary artist and designer based in Singapore. Drawing inspiration from the influential women in her family and the distinct 'auntie culture,' her work explores themes of ageing, beauty, personal freedom, and everyday life through AI and digital art. Her life experiences and architectural training inform the conceptual basis of her pieces, while her focus on the nuanced behaviours of 'aunties' highlights the culture prevalent in Asian communities.
These women, embodying a spectrum from strange and funny to mean and kind, profoundly influenced the artist's early life and creative narrative, laying the foundation for the unique storytelling of "Niceaunties." Exploring themes like aging, beauty, personal freedom, and the nuances of everyday life, Niceaunties expresses her vision through the mediums of generative and digital art. Her creations are marked by an amalgamation of surrealism, fantasy, and the vibrant aesthetics of kawaii culture.
Influenced by surreal art, fantasy, and kawaii culture, Niceaunties' art champions empowerment and self-expression.