How did Mr. Hogancamp start this project?
Jeff Malmberg:Marwencol was started when Mark was recovering from an assault in the year 2000. His state-sponsored therapy was cut off and he needed some way to continue his recovery.
TMN:What does “Marwencol” mean?
JM:Marwencol is the combination of three names: Mark, Wendy, and Colleen. They were the original three owners of buildings in the town. Mark said it took him a week to figure out the right word using the three names. He tried “Wencolmar” and things like that, and eventually he landed on “Marwencol.”
TMN:What is this world made of? What is its scale?
JM:Mark’s world of Marwencol is composed of foot-tall dolls, buildings made primarily of scrap wood, and various toy vehicles. Plus hundreds of tiny props—beer glasses, love seats, etc. It’s all built to 1/6th scale.
TMN:How has the media attention surrounding his work affected Mr. Hogancamp? Does he consider Marwencol to be a success?
JM:Mark was very gracious in sharing his world with me over the years, and I wanted to make sure he was comfortable once the film was released and people started learning about Marwencol. He’s had some contact with people who’ve seen the film and he says he’s come away with a feeling of pride in what he’s accomplished. People have really taken Mark into their hearts—it’s something you can feel at the screenings. Mark and I have both felt it and talked about it. In terms of whether he considers it a success, that’s just not how Mark views Marwencol—it’s something he lives with and inside of.
TMN:Why did you decide to feature Marwencol in a documentary?
JM:As soon as I met Mark I knew I had to get to the bottom of what was going on with him and his world. Luckily for me, he was kind enough to let me inside. It was a four-year process and not at all what I expected.
TMN:Describe the shooting process. What were some of the challenges of capturing this world on film?
JM:For me the biggest challenge was just trying to find my way through this world that Mark had created—understanding it on a narrative level and then learning what it all meant to him as a person. That was sort of everything—the biggest challenge, the most thrilling thing, the aspect that took the longest.
TMN:Is Marwencol still being built?
JM:Marwencol is growing all the time, especially lately. Mark now has a fleet of 1/6th-scale WWII planes. He just got a tank for the SS, and the SS also just got a headquarters.
TMN:What is he working on now? What are you working on next?
JM:Mark continues to shoot in Marwencol virtually every day. You can view some of his new stories and photos at marwencol.com. Personally I’m working on finding Mark the right gallerist. There are so many people who are interested in purchasing Mark’s artwork, but he’s in a special situation with his disability status. And I continue to shoot Mark—hopefully I’ll always get to do that.
