The Art Of Dune

I finally got to see Dune over the weekend (its release was delayed in Australia due to pandemic lockdowns), and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

As a fan of not just the book and David Lynch’s 1984 movie, but of Villeneuve’s other works, and the classic early 90s video games, every box I wanted ticked going into the experience was ticked and then some.

So it’s a pleasure tonight to run this Fine Art on the movie, looking at a range of pieces that went into the film’s development, from stuff you’ll recognise as near-final environment design, through to some of the earliest explorations of things like the Fremen’s stillsuits and the look of Baron Harkonnen.

Some of the artists showcased, like Nivanh Chanthara and Joseph Cross, are Fine Art regulars, while others are making their first appearance in the feature.

It’s of course not everything from everyone involved in the movie’s creation; films rarely get the same big “art dumps” that games do after release, and if you want to see a more thorough collection of art, you should definitely check out Dune’s excellent art book

But as a way of celebrating some of the incredible work that went into the film’s creation, this is still a handy gallery of pieces you can check out. You’ll find links to each artist’s portfolio in their names below. And if youhaven’t checked out AV Club’s review of the film, you should definitely do that as well:

If there’s a big idea here, lurking like the mammoth sandworm, it’s about the symbolism of power. It may be signified by futuristic castles, traditions, family crests, loyal aides, or the Duke’s prized signet ring. But ultimately, power lies in the infinite, untamable, and largely empty desert; in order to master it, that’s where you have to go. However inconclusive as a story, the resulting film is a rarity among the overlong effects-heavy blockbusters of the last decade: One actually wishes it didn’t have to end so soon.