Decoding the childlike wonder and digital dedication behind Eli Warren’s Missing Pieces
If talented Upstate photographer Eli Warren has anything to say about it, you’ll never be too old to see Greenville through the eyes of a child.
Nostalgic, whimsical scenes. Barely hidden, wondrous details. Brick-by-brick perfection—in miniature, of course. There are countless reasons to lose yourself in the 25 works of art that make up Warren’s new Missing Pieces exhibit at the Art & Light Annex, on display through December 23.
“The series was inspired by the toys I grew up playing with as a kid in Greenville. My favorite thing was to take them apart and put them back together again to see how everything worked—and creating these pieces felt like a natural progression of that,” reveals Warren, who has poured anywhere from twelve to 200+ hours of work into each respective piece. “My ultimate goal was to depict Greenville in a way that was recognizable, yet unexpected.”
In Missing Pieces, delightful digital narratives that evoke one of Warren’s favorite memories or places depict icons across the Upstate, from the Pita House to Falls Park and Furman University. Warren uses a 3D modeling and animation software called Blender, as well as Photoshop, to construct the elaborate scenes: “The whole thing is created on the computer. It’s essentially CGI, like how Toy Story was made. I’m basically building each piece one at a time, before placing, texturing, and lighting them,” he adds. “To some, it’s tedious, but to me, it’s a very meditative process—to sit there and fine-tune 20,000 Lego pieces [in one artwork]. I enjoy it.”
What makes this exhibit a departure for the photographer is its lighter, more approachable nature. “I feel like my regular work [can be] darker, more polarizing. I’m limited by who or what I’m photographing. But with 3D, it feels limitless. There are no costs or restrictions. It’s like being a little kid again, given a big bucket of Legos. There are so many possibilities—I can pretty much do whatever I want. I think we lose that element of play as we grow older . . . and I hope this work inspires viewers to remember the sense of wonder and playfulness that we all had as kids.”
SHOW DETAILS:
Missing Pieces
Art & Light Annex
1211 Pendleton St. By Appointment
Opening Reception: Friday, Nov. 3 from 6-8pm
