Re-imagining everyday objects: Dudi Ben Simon interviewed by Gil Dekel
5 July 2024 – Vol 2, Issue 3.
Gil Dekel: You are juxtaposing everyday objects, creating a twist that tells new stories about them. How do you develop such imaginative ideas?
Dudi Ben Simon: My creative process starts with a spark, a connection that ignites my curiosity. It might be a photo in a magazine or an object on my desk. Often, I’ll see something that stands out – a design, shape, colour, or meaning. Once intrigued, I look at the object until an idea takes shape. Sometimes, an idea arrives effortlessly, but other times it’s a slow, prolonged journey.
I follow two main principles: I make sure I maintain the original appearance of the objects so that the viewers can recognise them, and I add a twist which introduces a new perspective.
For instance, in one of my works, I positioned a chocolate croissant on a belt. You can recognise the pastry and the belt, and there is an added element – the belt looks like the chocolate stripes on the croissant, so it seems the chocolate is made from a belt…
Belt-chocolate croissant. 2023.
Or, the next work where the symmetry of the person’s braids, was crafted by hand. It echoes the colours, structured and geometric form of a wheat stalk. As I was placing the two together, a visual parallel between the patterns of agriculture and personal grooming was created. And you can still recognise both elements.
Wheat stalk braid. 2021.
In my works I am always looking for the detail, the feature that I can develop further while maintaining the original essence.
Executing the idea can be more complex, requiring adjustments until I achieve the desired look. Sometimes, a series emerges from a single successful work, like my work on the exploration of office items. This series began with a paper clip and expanded to include pins, staples, and perforator. Each variation builds on the previous and brings new layers to the concept.
Gil: How do you know when a work is complete?
Dudi: I rely on my gut feeling to determine when a composition is finished. It’s not a mathematical formula but rather an intuitive sense of completion.
Glove-cheese toast. 2024.
Gil: How would you describe your style?
Dudi: My work aligns with the concept of ‘readymade’, which involves using everyday objects outside of their original context to convey a new meaning. The work shares some surreal qualities in how I transform the familiar into the unexpected, however, I don’t directly identify as a Surrealist artist.
Lemon-hood jacket. 2021.
Gil: Artist Hanoch Piven also works with found objects, and ready-made. Does he influence your work?
Hanoch Piven’s work is incredible. He creates characters and faces from everyday items. My work is different as I focus on altering the meaning of the items themselves rather than creating characters.
Nail water drop. 2023.
Gil: Your work is very minimal.
Dudi: Yes. Minimalism guides much of my work because I believe in removing anything unnecessary to convey a story. Removing distractions.
This is a principle I also apply in my day job. I work as a senior creative in an advertising agency. I am developing ads where creativity must be straightforward, and easy to understand so to capture the audience quickly before they move on to the next ad. People should immediately grasp the concept without distractions. By stripping down to the bare essentials, my compositions allow the narrative to unfold naturally. Minimalism ensures no detail distracts from the core story.
Biscuit hair. 2024.
Gil: Your work seems as if frozen in time. Have you considered movement; maybe kinetic art?
Dudi: I focus on capturing the magical moment where all elements align perfectly. This exact relationship requires freezing the composition at a precise angle, which is easier to achieve with still photography. However, I’m open to exploring video if I can find a way to maintain this integrity and visual balance.
Cloud hair. 2022.
At a glance:
© Journal of Creativity and Inspiration.
Images/art © the artists.
Dudi Ben Simon was trained in arts and is specialising in visual communications. He serves as a senior creative professional at an Israeli advertising agency. With extensive experience working with commercial marketing briefs, Dudi started to experiment with reimagining everyday objects, and telling entirely new stories about them. His work often merges seemingly unrelated items in ways that make people reconsider the world around them.
Gil Dekel is a doctor in Art, Design and Media, specializing in processes of creativity and inspiration. He is a lecturer, visionary artist, Reiki Master/Teacher, and co-author of the ‘Energy Book’. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Coin, in recognition of his dedication and commitment to pastoral work at Hampshire Constabulary.
