A recent event in Glasgow, designed to recreate the whimsical world of Willy Wonka, has inadvertently become a social media sensation, but not for reasons the organizers might have hoped. The event, hosted by House of Illuminati, featured an Oompa Loompa, played by Kirsty Paterson, whose forlorn appearance has led to widespread online discussion and unexpected comparisons to classical art, specifically Édouard Manet's famed 1882 painting, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. This painting is renowned for its revolutionary portrayal of spatial perspective and the detached demeanor of its subject, a barmaid named Suzon.
The viral photograph from the Glasgow event depicted the Oompa Loompa standing behind a cluttered table in a dimly lit, smoky room, wearing a costume that many likened to a budget version of the traditional Oompa Loompa attire. Her vacant stare and the stark setting prompted comparisons to the barmaid in Manet's work, who is similarly depicted with an expression of disengagement, surrounded by the revelry she seems disconnected from.
Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), have been abuzz with these comparisons, with some users drawing parallels not only with Manet's painting but also with other cultural references. For instance, the portrayal of Paterson as the Oompa Loompa has been likened to the Mona Lisa for her enigmatic expression, and even to the protagonist of Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Bruxelles, a film celebrated for its depiction of the mundanity of women's domestic labor.
The Glasgow event's shortcomings, such as the AI-generated script and lack of sufficient treats, compounded the surreal and disconcerting atmosphere, which many found more reminiscent of a dystopian narrative than a children's fantasy. This bizarre backdrop only intensified the parallels drawn between the real-life figure of the Oompa Loompa and the fictional characters of art and film, who symbolize the alienation and monotony of labor.
Jean Dubreil