Elise Tak, 2003

Elementary school ’t Palet, Doedijnsstraat 4, The Hague

Inspired by the language and imagery of film, Elise Tak (lives and works in New York) creates her own movie world. The leads in her fictional ‘films' are played by imaginary movie actors, who are ‘built' on the computer by means of a variety of digital techniques. For the new building of elementary school ‘t Palet in the innercity of The Hague, Elise Tak has made various scenes from the story The Principal Head, starring both the children and the teachers of the school and two of Tak's very own movie actors, Marvin Dunbar and Charlie Pep. The works are surreal and full of bright colors, totally in tune with the motto of the school: ‘colorful and versatile'.

Extra financial Support: The Mondriaan Foundation

This project is accompanied by the small publication 'The Principal Head' (also available in English).
For more information click here.

Website Elise Tak

The Story: The Principal Head
During an internet session at their school, some kids are browsing for the naughty sites. Inadvertently they alert the Head Head, who is called by this name, because he really is one head with two faces: the irascible Head Morph and the seemingly innocent Head Chuckie P. The Head Head leaps out of the computer and rages through the school. The Head Morph is now more irate than ever, especially when the children start playing mind games with the Head Head, even a game of soccer. In the mean time the Head Chuckie P gets more and more confused. But to top it all, the Head Head comes face to face with Oscar, the school's principal. Never! There is only one real head and that is the Head Head. The spiteful Head Morph hops onto the head of the principal. When Oscar tries to pull him off, the Head Head blows off, floating weightlessly in a myriad of principal parts before it re-assembles. The children have the solution for the school's primary problem. The Head Head wants to be pampered so they give him some bright new colors in the school's art class. And of course the Head Head's brain also has to be fed, so they present him with various luscious cakes (especially for Morph), some healthy sandwiches (also for Morph) and an unsolvable riddle (especially for Chuckie P). The Head Head is content.

2003