Extra Ultra Super Gal
Inspired by Sesame Street’s Teeny Little Super Guy, Extra Ultra Super Gal is a talking tampon who helps her friend Jane with issues of period overflow. Super Gal, for short, is a reoccurring character on Sunflower Lane. In Episode One, Super Gal calls on her fellow lady items to help Jane, a friend in need, with issues of period overflow.
Still from Extra Ultra Super Gal by Rachael Guma
Super Gal is created using a process called stop motion animation in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames is played back.
The objects animated are mostly found objects, (from the French objet trouvé) meaning that art is created from undisguised, but often modified, items or products that are not normally considered materials from which art is made, often because they already have a non-art function.
Super Gal consists of a series of tampons with googly eyes, fake eyelashes, a bead for her ponytail, and clay that's formed into a variety of mouth shapes to animate her talking. Jane is a vintage-syle perfume bottle with googly eyes, fake eyelashes, and clay lips.
Extra Ultra Super Gal production still by Rachael Guma
Padguin is a mix of wire, menstruation pads, googly eyes, eyelashes, and clay beaks. Fishing line tied to a piece of wood makes it appear that Padguin flies into the scene. Applicator is a Beaker-style puppet with armature wire, tampon+applicator, googly eyes, fake eyelashes, and clay mouths. Cup is a usable menstrual cup with one googly eye (à la Purple People Eater) and a fake eyelash.
When none of these lady items can help, Super Gal turns to Dr. Iron for medical advisement. Dr. Iron is an old clothing iron with, you guessed it, googly eyes!
This project received funding from the BRICLab Media Artist Residency 2023-2024 and will be included in the group screening in September. Stay tuned!