Syd Mead

Last night I joined a few hundred nerds at the Orpheum to see saw The Visual Futurist, a documentary on the work of Syd Mead, followed by a Q&A with the man himself. Syd is responsible for some of the most pioneering design work in science fiction film, including on Blade Runner and Aliens. He is an incredibly clever man with an old fashioned work ethic. While he clearly respects the talented people working in CGI, his work remains old-school. Paint applied to paper with animal hairs, as he put it. His work is extraordinary and he really should have greater recognition as a major artist. He shows off an abstract work that he had made as a bit of fun for his house in Orange County. He used some of the left over paint from decorating and a few junk items he found around the house. I could easily imagine the finished article on display at the Moma. Syd is contemptuous, and rightly so, of artists that work only in the abstract and regards much of this type of art as a massive con (which of course it is). While most of last night's audience probably think The Big Bang Theory is reality TV, I enjoyed the evening and found Syd inspiring.