Each work of art that Brandon Ritom creates is made out of disposables. His goal as an artist is to highlight the aesthetic value of things that are typically overlooked or neglected.
Turning junk into miniature sculptures
Brandon Ritom’s miniature sculptures evoke a nostalgic feeling from gunpla (Gundam plastic model) enthusiasts.
Leaning toward a western aesthetic, he blends the concept of kitbashing (combining multiple model kits) with recyclable items to create his miniature robots.
The Bidayuh-Iban artist showcased the results made from disposables at the recent ‘the Repurposed’ exhibition held at the Chemsain Building, Jalan Rock, Kuching.
Despite the fact that he conducts seminars on how to create miniature sculptures from scratch, his primary training was in painting and drawing. He said that he has previously experimented with figurative art.
“It was in Kuala Lumpur that I became involved in the board game and tabletop gaming community. Their activity of painting plastic model kits such as gunpla has prompted me to merge it with fine arts,” he said.
Brandon also attributes his current work to childhood hobbies, primarily assembling and painting Warhammer plastic kits, in which he has about two decades of experience, with a fair amount of trial and error along the way.
Despite his work being unintentionally influenced by sci-fi, Brandon admitted to fully leaning towards it.
“I used to create concept art. Then I moved on to fine arts. Over time, I became aware that several of my paintings and hobby work had a sci-fi aesthetic.”
His ‘trio’
Brandon detailed each of the three figures he exhibited during ‘the Repurpose’ with passion.
He obtained parts from Japanese model kits and gunpla, as well as trash like screws and plastic scraps.
“The spider is constructed with a polystyrene ball and model kit sprues. I came across a broken sprue piece and thought it looked like segmented legs. So I decided to fashion a spider out of the pieces,” he said.
Meanwhile, the green one, dubbed the “iron angel,” was created with a cooking gas tank cap, a broken sharpener, part of a Doraemon toy, plastic straws, and wires.
Brandon went on to say that these discarded pieces had been accumulated over a period of years.
“It eventually reaches a point where shapes begin to form among the items strewn around the workbench.”
When creating the ‘iron angel,’ he conducted extensive research and field observation.
“The pistons of the robot were inspired by tractor parts and industrial machinery.
“The ‘Lancer’ was created from an asthma inhaler that had been painted light blue and had a cowl made from first aid dressing. The overall aesthetic for this originated from the catalogue of the furniture franchise business IKEA. Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places.”
The challenges
Brandon said that convincing people to accept miniature sculptures as art might be challenging.
“The biggest challenge was convincing people of the sustainability and viability of these as fine art.”
Brandon said that miniature painting is usually regarded as a child’s hobby.
“While this is true, it can also be turned into a profitable career path.”
Even though it is challenging, he said that professionals have done it successfully.
Brandon acknowledged the lack of a local art scene upon his return to Kuching after spending years in Kuala Lumpur.
Nonetheless, he is pleased to see an accepting environment for local artists, as well as “more opportunity for artists to attempt something unique.”
“Most importantly, as artists, we must have patience, perseverance, and a long-term game plan.”
His long-term goal is to continue his artistic path full-time while also supporting his passion through workshops and open studio demonstrations.
Today, he is with his miniature sculptures made of discarded objects. Tomorrow, he hopes to build a whole city out of old polystyrene cut-offs.
“I’d like to hone my talents even more by creating a backdrop for the figures. I’m also thinking of linking them with a shared narrative and telling stories about this Junk World.”
