In Review — insight: Photography and Dioramas by Gianni Lopergolo
insight: Photography and Dioramas by Gianni Lopergolo
Review by Adam May
GalacticHunter.com
A Time For Heroes
First of all, this is a review that is long, long overdue, and its timing—on Father’s Day 2010—couldn’t be more fitting. Gianni Lopergolo has been the go-to photographer since joining the Hasbro family in 2002, and just last year Hasbro and Lopergolo’s friends and co-workers published insight: Photography and Dioramas by Gianni Lopergolo, in part to raise awareness of a terminal disease Lopergolo is living with: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS causes motor nerves to degenerate over time, eventually paralyzing nearly every muscle in the body. But beyond just awareness, proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit ALS research and a foundation created for Lopergolo’s three sons.
[Editor’s Note: The copy of the book reviewed herein was purchased for review, and not provided as promotional consideration.]
It would be easy to simply say that Gianni Lopergolo’s artwork is stunning, and it is. However, insight shares the artist’s work, philosophy, and even his seemingly unlimited supply of optimism. 
His body of work at Hasbro seamlessly blends a mixture of Dadaism, Pop Art, and Buddhist “te” philosophy, intentional or not. Lopergolo’s art breathes life directly into the simple playthings that many of us collectors walk past as we set our sites on new and constantly shifting (toy) targets. His art entices us to indulge the inner-child who sees that cluster of our crumpled asphalt world for what it really is: an alien world, a lava planet where good must do battle with greed and corruption to safeguard a better future, a future filled with hope. (The terrain in the Mustafar scene at right was plundered from Hasbro’s parking lot renovations.)
Art, Any Road
Being a “weird” art person, I’ve always enjoyed the experience when an artist, in the fashion of Marcel Duchamp, can point out something right under the viewer’s nose, obvious and overlooked, and convey the artistic value of something that would otherwise be considered worthless or invisible. The materials and the methodology in Gianni Lopergolo’s most basic photos are artistic, but as he says, “anyone can do it.” A collector doesn’t have to be a privileged scion with an overflowing bank account to frame and display these collectibles that have stirred imaginations all across the globe.
Notice the husks of friendly little Astromechs? The Tantive IV must have had some really creative designers when they decked her halls.
(Click the image to supersize. Note – heavy loadtime.)
The virtue of this body of work is its simplicity. Kids, don’t JUST get your parents’ permission to make dioramas, get them INVOLVED. Your faithful reviewer was a latch-key kid whose parents were just too busy to understand what these sci-fi movies and toys were about. That era’s parents were very lucky because the Star Wars universe, as it existed at the time, showed kids principles—good and bad alike—leaving us to choose our own path. (Is that even possible today?) Parents who are reading this (there must be a few), take that precious moment of time that Lopergolo won’t have, and make a diorama, kick up some dust, or simply stare into space together. Lopergolo doesn’t tip-toe around the subject of his own mortality, and that’s something this reader can appreciate. He had a great run, and he has a body of work that most of us couldn’t even imitate if we tried. Don’t let the words of one lowly book reviewer stop you from trying, though.
Browsing HasbroToyShop.com, there are a lot of distractions to spend $29.95 on, but the knowledge contained inside insight is really quite priceless. In this despicable economy, bag some lunches, skip some coffees, and cut whatever corners necessary to get this collection of art into your bookshelves, and more importantly, into your brain. It’s times like these that we, often jaded and bitter collectors, need this kind of inspiration. Assuming that you’re an adult, order the book—that means DON’T DO THIS WITHOUT PARENTAL PERMISSION, KIDS—and take in some of the strength and confidence, that one artist with a fatal disease manages to command, to take on the world.
To Me You Are A Work Of Art
An alien terrain where the head on the Apparition of Darth Vader isn’t the strangest thing you’ll see.
(Click the image to supersize. Note – heavy loadtime.)
The vaunted Jedi Temple ceiling might be on sale right now at your local hardware store. You need to ask at the customer service desk about its vaulted celiing, but they’re probably going on break soon!
(Click the image to supersize. Note – heavy loadtime.)
If you would like to learn more about the disease known as ALS, this Wikipedia article can help.
With special thanks to Gianni Lopergolo, Derryl DePriest, and Hayes McCarthy.
Star Wars is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. Any other trademarks used in this text are the property of their respective owners.
