ANIMATOR / RE-ANIMATOR
Curated by Murray Toews, Animator/Re-Animator is a visual exploration of the evolution of the independent animator. The festival represents 18 animated works from Canadian Prairie animators from 1990 to 2004.
アニメーター/リ・アニメーター
Video Pool goes to Japan - watch video
Penetrating the unchanging face of this mid-city landscape, there is a force affecting the way independent animators animate.
Traditionally, creating a short animation has meant facing challenges in both time and money. The lengthy and expensive process of animation restricted the amount of work that the independent animator could accomplish in a lifetime. These limitations have defined the independent animator stereotype, portraying the individual as socially reclusive and dressed 5 to 7 years out of step with current fashion trends - as it takes about that long to make a short animated work of quality!
However, in the reality of the present, an animator can access software and video technology that allow for greater creative opportunity and range of expression. This blending of traditional animation forms with modern software based tools help to facilitate the creation in a shorter time span.
Now freed from the time and money constraints of traditional animation by accessing software tools and video technology that handle the tedious aspects of repetition, the animator has become re-animated.
A new challenge has emerged.
The independent animator can create more work, and this new work can be seen more often. The re-animation of the animator redefines the stereotype and now portrays the artist as fresh in vigor and spirit. This new freedom to create and explore options has raised questions about the purity of art practices and opened the door to cross pollination with other media-based art forms and spawned non-traditional artistic collaborations.
Animator/Reanimator Program:
Journey Through Fear by Dennis Jackson (1998) 5:53
The General by Victoria Prince (2001) 10:00
Bike by Alain Delannoy (1999) 2:00
Tumor by Evan Tapper (2001) 3:08
Vagues à l'âme by Frederic Roux (2001) 3:27
Ballet Kitchinspace by Denton Fredrickson (2001) 6:00
Open by Brenna George (2002) 2:30
A Miracle by Daniel Barrow (2003) 2:52
Hey Kids! by Alethea Lahofer and Alex Poruchnyk (1990) 2:00
Dog on the Moon by Murray Toews (1992) 2:37
Blue Noise by Alain Delannoy (1995) 5:12
Cup of Sadness by Elvira Finnigan (2000) 3:11
Man Without a Movie Camera by Charles Shilliday (2001) 7:15
Visiting Entomology by Nicole Shimonek (2000) 3:24
Gods by Travis Cook (2002) 2:45
The Falling Man by Zarah Laszlo (2002) 3:30
Bubble Canopy by Michael Stecky (2002) 4:30
The Architect by Rick Fisher and Don Rice (2004) 3:40
About the program...
Traditionally, creating a short animation has meant facing
challenges in both time and money. The lengthy and expensive process
of animation restricted the amount of work that the independent
animator could accomplish in a lifetime. These limitations have
defined the independent animator stereotype, portraying the individual
as socially reclusive and dressed 5 to 7 years out of step with current
fashion trends - as it takes about that long to make a short animated
work of quality! However, in the reality of the present, an animator
can access software and video technology that allow for greater
creative opportunity and range of expression. This blending of
traditional animation forms with modern software based tools help to
facilitate the creation in a shorter time span.
Now freed from the
time and money constraints of traditional animation by accessing
software tools and video technology that handle the tedious aspects of
repetition, the animator has become re-animated. A new challenge has
emerged. The independent animator can create more work, and this new
work can be seen more often. The re-animation of the animator redefines
the stereotype and now portrays the artist as fresh in vigor and
spirit. This new freedom to create and explore options has raised
questions about the purity of art practices and opened the door to
cross pollination with other media-based art forms and spawned
non-traditional artistic collaborations.
- Curator Murray Toews
Bio: Murray Toews is a self-proclaimed ‘deluxe’ artist; his creative work spans the media of drawing, video, computer-animation, audio and the production of Blender TV, a public television series showcasing Manitoba video artists. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts first class Honours degree from the University of Manitoba in 1992 with a thesis in advanced Drawing. Recently, he has focused his energies on animation, audio-art music and the development of digital interactive environments. He is currently an instructor at Red River Community College in Winnipeg.
アニメーター/リ・アニメーター
Animator/Reanimator on Tour
Video Pool’s Animator/Reanimator curated by Murray Toews presented a historic look at animation from the Prairies to audiences both in Canada and Japan.
Special thanks are due to Muto Isamu, n-mark and Cafeline (Japan) for hosting the screenings and assisting in the creation of this tour.
Tour dates of Animator/Reanimator:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Paved / AKA - March 5, 2005
Introduced by Murray Toews and Gabriel Schroedter
Edmonton, Alberta - Metro Cinema - September 15, 2005
Halifax, Nova Scotia - Centre for Art Tapes / NSCAD, October 7, 2005
Introduced by artist Elvira Finnigan
Osaka, Japan - Remo - November 18th, 2005
Introduced by Sandee Moore
Kita Kyushu, Japan - Gallery Soap - November 19th, 2005
Introduction and Q & A by Sandee Moore
Yokahama, Japan - Art Autonomy Network - November 26th
Introduced by Sandee Moore
Winnipeg, Manitoba - Video Pool / Park Theatre - December 15, 2005
Introduced by Murray Toews, and a q & a with the artists followed the screening.
Mito, Japan - K5 - December 20, 2005
Video Pool gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Manitoba Arts Council; The Winnipeg Arts Council; The Winnipeg Foundation; The Thomas Sill Foundation; Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism; Manitoba Science, Technology, Energy and Mines; Manitoba Lotteries Corporation; The Department of Canadian Heritage; Multi-Media Risk Insurance; Artspace Inc.; The National Film Board; and Video Pool members.
