Jen Vojt, Student Work

Les Miserables

Plywood, Balsa wood, wood glue, nails, flowers, towel cloth, Rit fabric dye, 

string, paper, Walnut Ink set (Java, Terra Cotta, and Walnut), 

Micron pens, red and black acrylic paint, twine. 

15" x 10" x 3"

The exterior of the box is made from plywood and a distress stain made from a mixture of ink and water. The box is not sanded, and it has exposed seams and nails, along with chunks of glue and imperfections. The box is meant to be rough due to the war that occurs, but it is also uniform and seems like an old, distressed box, similar to one from the French Revolution. 

When the box opens, the black underside of the lid reveals four triangular sections which intersect in the middle. The triangles represent the love triangle in the story along with the intersecting storylines and generational connections among the characters. Each section is dense and cluttered, similar to how the movie itself has a lot of information and intricacies. 

The section with the bundle of twine represents family, specifically the relationship between Cosette and Valjean. The long, continuous twine is distressed and frayed, yet strong and unbreakable; symbolizing the bond between father and daughter. The long strand is made up of two strings kept together by knots. Attached to each knot, is a tag with song lyrics.  "Suddenly you're here... suddenly it starts... can two anxious hearts beat as one?" Valjean sings this song when he adopts Cosette after the death of her mother, Fantine. The viewer must unravel the string to read the song lyrics. 

The section with the red pouches represents loss and sacrifice, specifically Fantine's sacrifice for Cosette. The bright red color represents the Red Light district that Fanzine was a part of, and is suggestive of  the intense love she had for her daughter; she sacrifices herself for her daughter. Eight pouches, made to look dirty and worn, are literally stuffed in this section. There is a tag attached to each pouch with the words, "Now life has killed the dream I dreamed." These are lyrics to the song "I Dreamed A Dream" that Fantine sings after she becomes a prostitute in order to make money for her daughter. 

There is a secret component to red pouch section. If the viewer takes out the pouches, underneath is a red cloth with additional song lyrics .

I dreamed a dream in times gone by, when hope was high and life worth living. I dreamed that love would never die... I dreamed that God would be forgiving... Then I was young and unafraid, and dreams were made and used and wasted. There was no ransom to be paid, no song unsung, no wine untasted.

This discovery is meant to be a note from Fantine, before she was tainted by the world and forced to sacrifice her life for her daughter. The pouches hold her sacrifices: her hair, teeth, body, and ultimately her soul. The pouches cover up her dreams, and represent giving away pieces of ourselves for the ones we love. 

The section with the broken wood and furniture represents the barricades and the carnage of war. The wood is dark, splintered, and dirty with a reddish splatter to evoke blood and dirt. The chair tagged "Empty" represents loss and mourning. Marius sings the song "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" upon returning from the war and receiving the news that his friends were killed in the war. 

The section with dead flowers represents love, specifically the love triangle between Eponine, Marius, and Cosette. The dead  flowers are arranged to appear cluttered and dense. Tags with the words, "Rain will make the flowers..." are attached to the flowers. The words reflect Eponine's last words after she sacrificed herself by taking a bullet for Marius during the war. The dead flowers never grew, just as Eponine would never grow and blossom. 

A few in process pictures.