I chose Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for this project because it’s one of those stories everyone knows—The Golden Ticket, the spoiled kids, and Wonka’s Factory. Each kid’s fate pretty much matches their personality and self-obsession; Charlie wins because he’s the only decent one. At its core, the story is about imagination, consequences, and how being a good person actually matters. It’s stuck around so long because it’s fun, a little weird, and still makes people think about what they’d do if they got their own golden ticket. Plus, the images of candy definitely help keep people interested.
One moment I focused on was when Wonka announced the factory’s reopening. It’s what kicks everything off, but I started wondering—what if none of it was real? I had chocolate and a wine glass sitting in my room, and it got me thinking: What if Wonka, after a few too many drinks, just made the whole thing up? What if the factory, the golden tickets, and even the kids were all part of some elaborate fantasy?
In my version, the story would lean into that idea, blurring the line between reality and imagination. “Wonka” is just a regular guy who dreamt of this whole idea of owning a chocolate factory to leave their boring reality. My art piece resembles this idea by making the viewer wonder if this popular movie was some normal guy’s escape.