[-empyre-] animation and gender

Eric Patrick ericp at northwestern.edu
Thu Mar 4 01:13:31 EST 2010


Oh yes!  Great example!  It also reminds me that we forgot to mention Kathy
Rose in our discussion-  she also uses animation as part of performance and
dance pieces: http://www.krose.com/

e


On 3/2/10 7:34 AM, "kim collmer" <kcollmer at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I think Miwa's work is really wonderful. I forgot to list her. She does
> animation but also combines it with performing along with the animation (her
> figure becoming a silhouette). She inspired a few of my former students to try
> out similar techniques and it brought about interesting conversations and
> work.
> 
> 
> From: christopher sullivan <csulli at saic.edu>
> To: soft_skinned_space <empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
> Sent: Tue, March 2, 2010 5:47:43 AM
> Subject: Re: [-empyre-] animation and gender
> 
>  another name for very strange new media stuff is Miwa Matrakek
> very poppy, but quite interesting tuff. Chris
> 
> 
> Quoting Eric Patrick <ericp at northwestern.edu>:
> 
>> > Joanne Gratz, Joanna Priestly, Caroline Leaf, etc....
>> > 
>> > I actually think the opposite of what Renate says below...  at least in
>> > terms of independent animation.  It always seemed to me that women were
>> > dominating independent work with innovation of both form and content
>> > (Caroline Leaf and Joan Gratz in the former, Joanna Priestly and Susan Pitt
>> > in the later).
>> > 
>> > There's no question that there is a lack of presence in television, film >>
and
>> > gaming of women animators (though there's also a lack of general diversity
>> > in these areas), with the exception of children's television which has many
>> > great people doing things (Jen Oxley, Linda Simensky, and Tracy
>> > Paige-Johnson to name a few).
>> > 
>> > Eric
>> > 
>> > 
>> > On 3/1/10 9:59 AM, "christopher sullivan" <csulli at saic.edu> wrote:
>> > 
>>> > > a couple more, Ruth Lingford, Wendy Tilby, Martha Colborn. Kim Colmer,
>> > Ariana
>>> > > Gerstine, Orla McHardy, Suzzy templeton, Laura Heit. Lisa Barcy, Susan
>> > Pit,
>>> > > Maureen Selwood, Christien Roche. got to go. Chris
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > Quoting Renate Ferro <rtf9 at cornell.edu>:
>>> > > 
>>>> > >> Dear all,
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Chris thanks for the list of animators below.  There is something that
I
>>>> > >> have been very curious about since we began this whole discussion now
>>>> > >> about a month ago.  I was on a site (and I'm not sure which one it
was)
>>>> > >> that was discussing the lack of female animators in the field.  The
>>>> > >> distinction was that many female animators who are working tend to do
>> > more
>>>> > >> documentary, self help animations.  Their observation was that most
>>>> women
>>>> > >> artists instead tended to be drawn towards manipulated, experimental
>>>> > >> cinema and video and not straight animation. (Perhaps we need to >>>>
extend
>>>> > >> the whole notion of animation via the fuzziness that Suzanne alluded
to
>>>> > >> early on!) Additionally, Mary Flanagan was here at Cornell a few weeks
>> > ago
>>>> > >> and in a public lecture commented on the overwhelming lack of female
>>>> > >> gamers in the field as well.
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Our next empyre discussion will not be beginning until March 8th so
for
>>>> > >> the next couple of days or so I'm hoping that we can all talk openly
>> > about
>>>> > >>  this topic.  I"m fascinated and perhaps misinformed I hope.  Maybe
the
>>>> > >> tides are turning and many young female artists will be drawn into the
>> > new
>>>> > >> technologies of animation.
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> When I first started looking for guests for this topic it was
>>>> difficult
>> > to
>>>> > >> find any women at all to participate but I'm so very happy that we
>> > finally
>>>> > >> were able to get a great and yes diverse mix as Chris pointed out in
one
>>>> > >> of his last posts. Can you all send me your favorite female
>>>> animators???
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Renate
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> PS.  We will continue on for the next couple of days on animation and
>> > then
>>>> > >> open things up for a few days of open conversation.
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>>> > >>> Hi Richard, there are plenty of non-linear narrative animations, not
too
>>>>> > >>> many
>>>>> > >>> feature ones, but then there are not all that many feature length
>>>>> > >>> animations.
>>>>> > >>> here are a few animators, off the top of my head, and the Quay's as
>> > well;
>>>>> > >>> janie
>>>>> > >>> Gieser. Lewis Klahr, Nancu Andrews, me Chris Sullivan, Jim Trainor,
>> > Simon
>>>>> > >>> Pummel, Amy Kravitze, Karen Yasinsky, Lilli Carre, Patrick Smith,
Don
>>>>> > >>> Hertzfeld, Rose Bond, Joshua Mosely, Jim Duesing, Pritt Parn, Brent
>> > Green,
>>>>> > >>> Piotr Dumala, and check out the nice work funded by the
>>>>> organization,
>>>>> > >>> Animate
>>>>> > >>> Projects, great british wonders. have a good night. Chris.
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>> > >>> Quoting Richard Wright <futurenatural at blueyonder.co.uk>:
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> I always liked the quality in the Quay films where time seems to
lose
>>>>>> > >>>> all its reference points. Those shots of dust settling or shadows
>>>>>> > >>>> dancing where you are no longer sure whether you are watching in
>>>>>> > >>>> "realtime" or over the course of hundreds of years.
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> This also made me wonder why certain kinds of narrative and time
are
>>>>>> > >>>> almost never used in animation. For instance, why are there no
non-
>>>>>> > >>>> linear narrative animations? They are not that uncommon in live
>>>>>> > >>>> action films - I am thinking of Memento that goes backwards in
story
>>>>>> > >>>> time (with one b/w stream going forwards), Amores Perros that
jumps
>>>>>> > >>>> repeatedly backwards and forwards, The Hours with its parallel
>>>>>> > >>>> storylines running in different historical times periods. The only
>>>>>> > >>>> example of an animated film that has anything like these kinds of
>>>>>> > >>>> narrative structure is Waltz with Bashir with its persistent
>>>>>> > >>>> flashbacks. And that was made by a live action director.
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> I wonder if this has something to do with the way that animators
>>>>>> > >>>> work, concentrating as they do on building up a sequence of >>>>>>
actions
>>>>>> > >>>> bit by bit, are they generally less directed towards the larger
>>>>>> > >>>> narrative structures of time? By focusing on the duration of the
>>>>>> > >>>> immediate event, is it as though they assume a sort of "short term
>>>>>> > >>>> memory"?
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> Richard
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> On 25 Feb 2010, at 03:34, T Goodeve wrote:
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Hello everyone:
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Sorry I¹ve been so lax as a discussant-generator but here I am
with
>>>>>>> > >>>>> some thoughts and reflections. If it¹s okay just an aside first:
>>>>>>> > >>>>> off the top of my fingertips‹many of you make stuff you love and
>>>>>>> > >>>>> live for, also write about with great passion, and the animated
>>>>>>> > >>>>> worldscape is still and ever will be one of magic and wonder I
hope
>>>>>>> > >>>>> (you have the romantic here), i.e., endless visual and aural
>>>>>>> > >>>>> reimagings via its ability, or definition, whether anlogue or
>>>>>>> > >>>>> digital, to do anything and everything within and beyond the
>>>>>>> > >>>>> spacetime continuum. But sometimes I miss the basic humor,
wonder,
>>>>>>> > >>>>> and sheer ³wow² of the simplicity of animation. I mentioned in a
>>>>>>> > >>>>> post. The blank page and the dot. We lose track, myself >>>>>>>
included,
>>>>>>> > >>>>> analyzing the life out of things sometimes and to do this with
>>>>>>> > >>>>> animation seems particularly perverse. I realize I set myself up
>>>>>>> > >>>>> for a bit of ridicule here but alas, someone has to speak up for
>>>>>>> > >>>>> the puppet doll in Street of Crocodiles who cradles the bare
light
>>>>>>> > >>>>> bulb baby in its arm and brings it back to life with light, or
the
>>>>>>> > >>>>> frayed and earnest bunny who does his best to keep up with the
>>>>>>> > >>>>> spinning demented ping pong balls and a pair of disembodied knee
>>>>>>> > >>>>> socks and slippers moving up and down on tip toes in the Quays
³Are
>>>>>>> > >>>>> We Still Married² ‹up and down, up and down. I think Christopher
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Sullivan was trying to get at this but not everyone is out to do
>>>>>>> > >>>>> what he does nor interested in the way I am or the Quays or for
>>>>>>> > >>>>> that matter, those who use it for visualization, but depending
on
>>>>>>> > >>>>> why you do what you do we are here to discuss the breakthrough
>>>>>>> > >>>>> insights of theory and technology and animation, but it¹s just
>>>>>>> > >>>>> sometimes I¹ve felt we¹ve let the technology get away with doing
>>>>>>> > >>>>> too much of the talking, not that it doesn¹t have a lot to say.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> But a more hardy, if overly general, topic is temporality and
time,
>>>>>>> > >>>>> now-time vs say the way cinema¹s capturing, sculpting, control
of
>>>>>>> > >>>>> time was such a huge part of its magic. Siegfried Kracauer
>>>>>>> describe
>>>>>>> > >>>>> in an essay how powerful just ³having² the wind in the trees ‹a
>>>>>>> > >>>>> moment‹ captured on film is for him. How different from one of
my
>>>>>>> > >>>>> students when I showed some film, perhaps Tarkovsky,² Why does
he
>>>>>>> > >>>>> keep leaving the camera on the trees so long?² Students of
cinema
>>>>>>> > >>>>> are different. We know this: ADD and short digitized attention
>>>>>>> > >>>>> spans. But how do you see this in your worlds of animation
either
>>>>>>> > >>>>> in terms of resistance or something emerging that is part of
this.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> One thing I thought was very relevant was the post of the shift
>>>>>>> > >>>>> tilt which is amazing and disturbing in this respect. Lots to
say
>>>>>>> > >>>>> about it: not only the time lapse but the way the world is
>>>>>>> > >>>>> miniaturized. Here the real profilmic world is literally made
into
>>>>>>> > >>>>> an stop motion animated ³cartoon². One could talk about the
Quays
>>>>>>> > >>>>> work and time ­ both in terms of period and affect; rhythm and
>>>>>>> > >>>>> texture of their worlds (In Absentia, the film they made with
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Stockhausen, is in some ways about light/time, metaphorically
>>>>>>> > >>>>> written all at once over and over (the character n the film)
hence
>>>>>>> > >>>>> no time. Endless time. Speed of lightŠ  .) But I do not know
what
>>>>>>> > >>>>> people have seen. I am more interested in hearing you all
discuss
>>>>>>> > >>>>> temporality and animation ³today²‹both theoretically and >>>>>>>
examples.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> These discussions are so energetic. They amaze me.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Thanks, Thyrza
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 12:39 AM, christopher sullivan
>>>>>>> > >>>>> <csulli at saic.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>> > >>>>> Hi Richard, I am the guy that wants animations about love, hate,
>>>>>>> > >>>>> birth, sex, and
>>>>>>> > >>>>> death.(not necessarily in that order)
>>>>>>> > >>>>> your rules of engagement leave me a little cold. why would this
be
>>>>>>> > >>>>> a goal?
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> "greatest possible distance between
>>>>>>> > >>>>>  human senses and computer code that is achievable through the
>>>>>>> > >>>>>  simplest material means"
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> what part of the human condition would make this a mandate?
>>>>>>> > >>>>> why would this be effective, or rather effective at doing what?
>>>>>>> > >>>>> I know I am being a little aggressive here, but this is coming
from
>>>>>>> > >>>>> someone who does not think Data means anything, nor does >>>>>>>
emulsion.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> chris.
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>>> > >>>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>>> > >>>> 
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>>> > >>> Christopher Sullivan
>>>>> > >>> Dept. of Film/Video/New Media
>>>>> > >>> School of the Art Institute of Chicago
>>>>> > >>> 112 so michigan
>>>>> > >>> Chicago Ill 60603
>>>>> > >>> csulli at saic.edu
>>>>> > >>> 312-345-3802
>>>>> > >>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> > >>> empyre forum
>>>>> > >>> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
>>>>> > >>> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>>>>> > >>> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Renate Ferro
>>>> > >> Visiting Assistant Professor
>>>> > >> Department of Art
>>>> > >> Cornell University, Tjaden Hall
>>>> > >> Ithaca, NY  14853
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Email:   <rtf9 at cornell.edu>
>>>> > >> Website:  http://www.renateferro.net
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Co-moderator of _empyre soft skinned space
>>>> > >> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>>>> > >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empyre
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> Art Editor, diacritics
>>>> > >> http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/dia/
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> 
>>>> > >> _______________________________________________
>>>> > >> empyre forum
>>>> > >> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
>>>> > >> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>>>> > >> 
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > Christopher Sullivan
>>> > > Dept. of Film/Video/New Media
>>> > > School of the Art Institute of Chicago
>>> > > 112 so michigan
>>> > > Chicago Ill 60603
>>> > > csulli at saic.edu
>>> > > 312-345-3802
>>> > > _______________________________________________
>>> > > empyre forum
>>> > > empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
>>> > > http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>> > 
>> > 
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > empyre forum
>> > empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
>> > http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>> > 
> 
> 
> Christopher Sullivan
> Dept. of Film/Video/New Media
> School of the Art Institute of Chicago
> 112 so michigan
> Chicago Ill 60603
> csulli at saic.edu
> 312-345-3802
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>    
> 
>  
> 
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> http://www.subtle.net/empyre


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