Henry Kupjack creates tiny, fascinating worlds, complete in every detail. Many of his work can be seen in the permanent collections of such museums as the Wintherthur, the Chicago Art Institute, the Boston Library and the Illinois State Museum. Many of his commissions also come from private collectors.
Henry Kupjack says that Miniature Rooms was affected largely by his experiences and childhood imaginations. ‘Miniature Rooms’ deeply affect visitors of all ages differently. In these rooms, visitors can find traces of their own lives, experiences, histories, and cultures. Each room creates a feeling of looking inside from a TV secreen. Yet, Kupjack’s rooms are so real, you feel as if you are in the room. From the photos, its is really difficult to realize whether the rooms are miniatures or actual size. The success of the setting depends on how strongly the details reflect the reality. Kupjack uses 1 inch for 1 feet; a scale of 1:12.
Kupjack is a rare breed. Few artisans anywhere do what he does, and only a handful do it with as much skill and élan. Kupjack is a miniaturist, but the description falls well short of indicating the spectrum of his abilities. Here are many professional miniaturists, but most specialize in a particular genre, such as making furniture or casting metal. Kupjack does it all. In the process, the artisan must blend an encyclopedic knowledge of architectural history with a surgeon’s dexterity and a set designer’s cunning.
As to the mesmerizing effect of miniatures, Kupjack muses, “There’s an innocence about them. It’s like playing with a toy when you were a child, and you fill in whatever’s missing to make a little world of your own.”
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