Thursday 31 May 2007

Featurette: NEO RAUCH

Detail from Neujahr (2005)

Neo Rauch has a befuddling style that immediately confuses with lines merging into one and other, out of place objects, disjointed colours, Escher-like spatial anomalies, and storyless narratives. Yet at the same time his images are curiously grounded.

Follow the links below to see more of his intriguing work.

Links:
ArtNet article
davidzwirner.com
The New Yorker - slideshow
Carnegie International Bio
Galerie Eigen + Art
Neo Rauch Wiki

Morphing Faces: Women in Art

This is an interesting little morphing animation of female portraits over 500 years of western art. The effect is quite disturbing.



Links:
YouTube Page
Juxtapose (source)

Featurette: TAKAHI KAWANISHI


PingMag have published an interesting interview with Takahi Kawanishi. I really enjoy his imagery and the accompanying pictures of his workshop/home are equally fascinating. Read the interview HERE.

Links:
PingMag interview
Takahi Kawanishi homepage
Takahi's blog (Japanese)
Exhibition Info

Tuesday 29 May 2007

Introducing MAYA DEREN

Maya Deren was in the vanguard of experimental film from her debut in 1943, Meshes of the Afternoon to her death in 1961. She continues to be an influence to contemporary experimental filmmakers including David Lynch. Setting herself in opposition to Hollywood, she often criticised studio practices feeling it was an obstacle to the development of cinematic art.

This is her first and most well-known film Meshes of the Afternoon:

Meshes of the Afternoon: Part 1


Meshes of the Afternoon: Part 2

Links:
Senses of Cinema profile
Maya Deren DVD
Maya Derren - Wiki
The Private Life of a Cat(1947) - Internet Archive
Maya Deren at UBUWEB

STANLEY KUBRICK's "The Day of the Fight"

In 1953, Stanley Kubrick took $3900 of his savings to finance his first film, "The Day of the Fight". It's a short documentary about middleweight boxer Walter Cartier for whom Kubrick had already documented for Look in a photo assignment titled "Prizefighter Walter Cartier". He later sold the film to RKO pictures for a profit of $100.

RKO added 4 minutes and 15 seconds of general boxing footage and narration as well as differing credits and music.

This version of the film has now appeared online and can be seen and downloaded HERE at the website of Mutiny Company. Somewhat mysteriously, it says on the site that an unmarked DVD-r from an anonymous source provided the film.

Links:
Mutiny Company - The Day of the Fight
Day of the Fight - Wiki
Stanley Kubrick Wiki
Warner Brothers - Kubrick Site
Stanley Kubrick - Senses of Cinema

Saturday 26 May 2007

SiouxWIRE Snippets 2.0


In the second of the snippets collections, here are a few more links to articles and posts that lifted their head above the parapet.

Shock and gore
J.G. Ballard, Guardian Unlimited
J.G. Ballard's analysis of Un Chien Andalou

To the Big Bang and Back
Ulrich Woelk, Die Welt / Sign & Sight
"As the Large Hadron Collider at CERN prepares to go into action, astrophysicist and author Ulrich Woelk takes us on a journey to the origin of things"


The Year of the Locked Room
Hester Westley, Tate Etc.
An interesting look back on one of the more radical episodes of British art education.

Shock news: older writers can also be quite good
Miles Johnson, Guardian Unlimited
I never even considered the marketability or age of a writer so this is a rather surprising perspective on publishing.

Gary Kurtz interview
Ken P. /IGN
A fascinating and candid insight into filmmaking.

'Till the Day That I Drop
Dan Kois, The Believer
An in depth defense of Robert Altman's much maligned "Popeye".

The Ninth Art
Abi Bliss, BBC Collective
The strange relationship between "fine" art and comics.

The source we drink from

Olga Martynova, Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Sign and Sight
Oberiu (the "Association of Real Art") - Who were the Oberiuts?

On the importation of culture
Alex Cox, personal webpage
Filmmaker Alex Cox ruminates on the link between Liverpool and Corinto, Nicaragua

"Cinema Studies"
J.M. Colberg, Conscientious
Joerg wonders why some can't accept photographs to be photographs.

Friday 25 May 2007

LEE CHANG-DONG's "Secret Sunshine"


South Korean director, Lee Chang-Dong's latest film is a story of faith seen through a young widow, Shin-ae who returns to her late husband's hometown with her young son. She plans to teach piano and after promising beginnings, things take a turn for the worse. Her son is kidnapped and Shin-ae faces a series of tribulations set forth by this turn of events. She must confront fundamental questions of life and faith.

The film has been receiving good reviews and actress Jeon Do-yeon's performance has been highly praised. It sounds reminiscent of Lars Von Trier's work, particularly Breaking the Waves, both in tone and approach.

Here is the trailer: (And be careful about making the jump to the YouTube page, the description gives away practically the entire story)


Links:
LunaPark6 review
"Secret Sunshine" (Korean)
Herald Tribune article
Lee Chang-Dong (New York Times)
Lee Chang-Dong Wiki
Jeon Do-yeon (YesAsia)
Twitch article (source)

Thursday 24 May 2007

KYLE RUDDICK & CARI ANN SHIM SHAM's "Are You for Real"


Kyle Ruddick and Cari Ann Shim Sham's video for ambient Ohio band, Low in the Sky's "Are You for Real" is an interesting work. It reminds me of one of my my favourite scenes in cinema--the paper consumption from Terry Gilliam's Brazil. The use of colour(or non-use), minimal dance, and effects pair well with the Low in the Sky's music. The video is presented below in Flash format and can also be downloaded in Quicktime HERE from Eyestorm.

Cari Ann is a choreographer and dance filmmaker, and Kyle Ruddick is the founder of Eyestorm Productions. An earlier video for Low in the Sky for the song "Cool Sanson" as well an interview with its director Tyler James is available in an earlier post HERE.

Links:
Eyestorm Productions
Direct Download (Quicktime)
YouTube Link
Cari Ann Shim Sham Myspace
Cari Ann Shim Sham YouTube
Low in the Sky Myspace
Low in the Sky's "Cool Sanson"
Antville (source)

Wednesday 23 May 2007

Featurette: GRA CRA

Gra Cra is a Japanese illustrator with an interesting portfolio of imagery chock full of ideas. See Gra Cra's website HERE.

Links:
Gra Cra homepage

Monday 21 May 2007

Interview: The Blackheart Gang - MR. JANNES


In the second of the Blackheart Gang interviews, we have Jannes Hendrikz whose responsibility is in essence to make Ree Treweek's drawings dance to Markus Wormstorm's music. He is the compositor, 2d-animator, cinematographer, and creative director of the team. Jannes recently left Blackginger (who created the 3d elements and provided the hardware required for The Tale of How) to freelance.

As well as providing generous answers to my queries, he has also kindly provided some exclusive stills and moving images from early in the production of The Tale of How.

The Tale of How is free to download HERE and more information is available in previous posts HERE, HERE and HERE. See the first installment of the Blackheart Gang interviews with Ree Treweek HERE.

From the perspective of artistic direction, is the look from the Tale of How something you want preserved or do you see the project evolving over time?
I am very much into spontaneous, interactive expression of our art forms. I see The Household project as a growing interactive medium. It goes wherever it needs to go and I follow. It’s about being attentive to its needs and letting it grow.

How important was Ringo as a foundation for the work you did in The Tale of How? What did you learn while working on it? And is Ringo set in The Household?
Yes, Ringo also forms part of The Household. Before we started Ringo none of us knew eachother that well; most of us had just met at the time. We wanted to do something, make something. I don't know. A type of creative chemistry just developed among us. At the time, none of us had any real experience; we just threw ourselves into it. Ringo started as a weekend project but we ended up working on it for another nine months. We didn't plan. Things just developed. I think that this is the basis of our working dynamic--the magic. We learned as we went along with it.
"We did have a few creative hiccups and we had to move on--we had to compromise, we had to collaborate."
Being a labour of love, you kind of need to offer everyone working on the project the freedom to express themselves so it gets really difficult to do what you want without overlapping with someone else's ideas. We did have a few creative hiccups and we had to move on--we had to compromise, we had to collaborate. This was the biggest lesson Ringo taught us and this secret lies at the base of our collective. Learning to collaborate opens up creative doors and solutions, and helps you to develop into a more mature artist. It helps you define yourself and your role. And this was the next lesson.


Ringo(2004)

We knew that if we were to work on the next project we would have to define our roles. So before working on Tale of How we had loads of discussions about who wants to do what and what we'd like to achieve and how we can support each other in doing so. I had to be very sensitive to the needs of the people I asked to join. I really wanted to create an environment for everyone to grow. Ringo was an essential part of my growth.

JEROME OLIVIER's - "Missing Pages"

Jerome Olivier's "Missing Pages" first appeared in 2005 though not in its intended form. After having taken a break from production, he was horrified to find the decision had been made to release the existing "preview" version. In time, with the support of a friend, he returned to the project completing the material to his own specifications for presentation on the festival circuit and compilation DVDs.

Among the ingenious features of the short is the fact that it is entirely compiled of animated still images; it's a kind of photoplay with animated elements. The effect is incredibly effective. I rank Jerome's creation alongside The Blackheart Gang's The Tale of How and Aleksandr Petrov's work in terms of innovation. It's approach to narrative is both inspirational and accomplished. And like The Tale of How, it has been achieved within the confines of a low budget while outstripping its high budget contemporaries.

Inspired by Chris Marker's La Jetee, the film tells the tale of Professor Tanokura who invents a time machine leading to some unexpected consequences. See the trailer below or visit the offical site for the recommended Quicktime version. Follow the listed links to view the entire film.


Links:
Speaking Pictures
Speaking Pictures - Missing Pages (Parts 1-3)
Speaking Pictures - Jerome Olivier
Jerome Olivier Blog
No Fat Clips - Missing Pages 1
No Fat Clips - Missing Pages 2
No Fat Clips - Missing Pages 3
YouTube Page
Missing Pages (original) site

Be on the lookout for my upcoming interview with Jerome Olivier.

Sunday 20 May 2007

DAVID LYNCH's "Absurda" -- A short for Cannes 2007


This short is best viewed without any hint or warning... at night. This is pure David Lynch.



Links:
DavidLynch.com
David Lynch Wiki
Senses of Cinema article(2002)
The Universe of David Lynch
LynchNet
Direct YouTube Link

*NOTE: The title image is an original work for SiouxWIRE

MICHEL GONDRY Interview Collection


Continuing the series of interview collections, this a set featuring Michel Gondry. Learn a lot about Michel (and the clichés of interviewing).

Interviews:
Dazed & Confused(2007) - with Paul McCartney
EW.com (2007)
Guardian Unlimited(2007)
PixelSurgeon (2007)
PingMag (2007)
JiveMagazine(2007) - Further down the page
UnderTheRadar Magazine
TheBlurb
Michel's son Paul Gondry (2006)
RopeofSilicon(2006)
AICN(2006)
BrightLightsFilmJournal(2006)
Suicide Girls (2006)
FilmJerk(2006)
New York Times(2006)
Morphizm(2006)
ComingSoon.net (2006)
Washington Post(2006)
TheReeler - SoHo chat
IndieLONDON
ReelMovieCritic(2004) - with Charlie Kaufman
MovieCityNews(2004) - with Charlie Kaufman
TheEveningClass
The Nerve(2004)
Strut Magazine (2004) - partial
UGO


Video Interviews:
VBS - discussion with Charlotte Gainsbourg(part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) - Part 1 below
Creative Screenwriter (Part 1, Part 2)
TalkAtAppleStore
BBCmovies
Imeem
Yoox
iFilm
VodPod/Seed Salon -with Robert Stickgold (see below - 50mins)
QOOB Video - Search for "Gondry" for parts 2-8
Time Out/Picture House
BBC Collective(2004)
CoreySpring
France 4 (in French)



with Robert Stickgold, Harvard (50mins)

Misc:
Michel Gondry with Bjork and the paint piano(video)
Directors Label
Michel Gondry Wiki
Le Monde de Michel Gondry
Director File: Michel Gondry

Friday 18 May 2007

SiouxWIRE Snippets


I've decided to start a regular post of articles that have caught my eye. It should be noted that I don't always agree with the central message of these snippets, but they have unanimously made me think for at least the duration of a couple coffees and cigarettes.

Lunar Light
Karen E. Steen, MetropolisMag
Harnessing the light of the moon to transform
urban spaces

Vanishing Point: The Last Days of Film
Wheeler Winston Dixon, Senses of Cinema
Cinema's move from celluloid to digital

Freedom of Expression?? Telling the truth??
Rebekka Gudleifsdóttir, personal blog
Some background to the story of Yahoo censorship on Flickr - Read HERE(BBC)

The museum of 2007 is an atrocity exhibition
Maev Kennedy, Guardian Unlimited
High brow vs. Low brow? Or just plain idiocy? Commentary on the Museum of 2007.

The Saga of Todd Goldman
Amid Amidi, Cartoon Brew
How multi-millionaire Todd Goldman accidentally steals artists' work

Remove the price tags and take your pick
John Windsow, Guardian Unlimited
Is there a link between a painting's artistic merit and its market value?

If you treat artists like entertainers...
Joerg Colberg, Conscientious
Another great observation from Joerg.

Laissez-Faire Aesthetics: What money is doing to art, or how the art world lost its mind
Jed Perl, The New Republic magazine

The Monster is Afraid: The Elephant Man, David Lynch
Serge Daney, Cinema Scope

WILL EISNER & FRANK MILLER's "The Spirit" + The Importance of Perspective


Frank Miller has written a big screen adaptation of Will Eisner's classic comic series The Spirit which centers on Denny Colt who fakes his own death to fight crime in the gritty urban setting of Central City. The script has been acquired by Lionsgate for American distribution and Miller is set to direct. Odd Lot International(UK) is selling overseas distribution rights in Cannes.

After co-directing with Robert Rodriguez on Sin City, Miller has stated in regard to the adaptation of his graphic novel 300, "This, I hope, will be the last property of mine that isn't directed by me". Samuel L. Jackson is in discussion to star as the villain, the Octopus. The Spirit will be Miller's debut as a solo director after his co-direction of Sin City.

It will be interesting to see how Miller approaches Eisner's original material and how well he can come to terms with directing solo. Whatever one feels about Frank Miller's work or personal beliefs, he's undeniably single-minded in his vision and being no stranger to controversy has been a catalyst of discussion across several forums.

The downside is that as Miller asks people to question things, some of his fanbase can't seem to extend this to Miller himself. Still, that's common across all "fans" who can't seem to help sporting rosy tinted glasses in regard to their idols. Anyone who believes that any person is incapable of doing any wrong, is a fool. Likewise, the same is true of those who feel anyone in the world is incapable of any good.

Thus far on SiouxWIRE, I've stressed the importance of having a broad range of artistic influences across mediums and class, but there's also something to be said of not surrounding yourself with people who think along the same lines as you do either politically, spiritually, or morally. It's impossible to have perspective when your lens is perpetually pointing in one direction.

Returning to The Spirit, I have been reading Frank Miller's work for just over two decades and having seen several screen adaptations, I think this extremely gifted visual/narrative artist is well overdue for his time in the director's chair and I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

Links:
The Spirit (official page)
Daily Telegraph Interview(Miller)
LA Times interview(Miller)
willeisner.com
The Guardian Obituary
New York Times Obituary
Will Eisner Wiki
Frank Miller Wiki
Hollywood Reporter - Jackson casting

Thursday 17 May 2007

NICOLE McDONALD's "Una Favola"


This strange short is a little parable about a girl who gets a horse for her birthday and whose neglect leads to tragedy. Curiously, the horse in question is played by a woman in a corset suspended from the ceiling in a harness. See it HERE in Quicktime.

Having seen the short before reading director Nicole McDonald's background, it was a real surprise. Despite the piece being in Italian with subtitles, Nicole was born in Massachusetts and "raised in the hyper-competitive world of junior women's dirt bike racing". The majority of her work is commercial with Una Favola being one of her independent projects.

There are things I like about this piece such as "the stain of guilt", the overall tone of the story, the non sequitor representations, and the colour palette but I can't seem to shake the feeling that the commercial work is creeping into her personal work.

That said, it works for me. It's like a twisted little music box with a dominatrix ballerina. I'm interested to hear your opinions on this one.

EDIT: Here is the low quality, flash version...



Links:
Direct download
Nicole McDonald
Shortsville (source)

PHILLIP GLASS: short pieces for Sesame Street(1977)


An unusual piece of contemporary composer Phillip Glass' history has appeared online in the form of three animations for Sesame Street.

From the Muppet Wiki it states:
In 1977, [Philip] Glass wrote a series of short vocal and instrumental pieces for Sesame Street. These include a series of animated films which employ geometric curves traced to various points on a circle to reveal other geometric shapes and colors. These works very closely resemble the "Dance" numbers written during the same time period as his Einstein on the Beach opera.
And here are the clips:






Links:
Glass Notes
Phillip Glass - Muppet Wiki
www.phillipglass.com
Phillip Glass Wiki
Shortsville (source)
YouTube Clip1 Link
YouTube Clip2 Link
YouTube Clip3 Link

NOTE: Original image above from a photograph of Phillip Glass by Annie Liebowitz.

RUN WRAKE's "Rabbit"

Since graduating from the Animation MA course at the Royal College of Art in 1990, Run Wrake has created an impressive collection of short films, commercials, titles, and music videos as well as regularly contributing illustrations to NME magazine.

This piece from Animate! features surreal, retro visuals and a curiously bitter storyline. Touring the US as part of The Animation Show 3 and winning several awards at animation festivals worldwide, it is now available on a beautifully presented DVD. Accompanied with an 8-page booklet and extras, it's priced at £12 from Run Wrake's homepage.


Links:
Animate! Rabbit page
runwrake.com
The Animation Show
YouTube Link

LASSE GJERTSEN & GIOVANNI SOLLIMA - Sogno ad Occhi Aperti (Daydream Part 2)

Following on from my previous post, this is Part 2 of Lasse Gjertsen's video for Giovanni Sollima's performance of Sogno ad Occhi Aperti. It's set in the most surreal and beautiful manicured forest outside Milan. It also continues the trend of smoking musicians. Enjoy.


Links:
Giovanni Sollima
Casa Musicale Sonzogno
YouTube Link
Giovanni Sollima Wiki
Lasse Gjertsen Wiki
Antville(source)

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Introducing SIGGA


Occasionally, I stumble across a young artist who is still experimenting and for whom there is a spark of genius that hints at good things to come. I discovered Sigga's work online; my compass seems to always point to Iceland.

She was born in Paris and raised in Reykjavik. Always interested in photography, she has in the last year studied the craft in Paris and has just completed Sigurrósarkópía. Having recently been accepted to the Icelandic Academy of Arts, Sigga is now looking forward to new and as yet unknown projects.

Having been asked by friends to act in a commercial, she learned to turn her photographs into videos. Here are some samples of her work:


YouTube - SiggaT
BonoBoPlanet advert
Icelandic Academy of Arts

Wednesday 16 May 2007

Introducing DJANGO REINHARDT


I was first introduced to Django Reinhardt by a teacher in school, but it wasn't until I was a little older and saw Woody Allen's Sweet & Lowdown that I really delved into his work. And since I mention it, Sweet & Lowdown is the last film from Woody Allen that really knocked my socks off. A real bittersweet work full of regret and self destruction with great performances from Sean Penn and Samantha Morton. Here is the trailer...


Born in Belgium, Django spent his youth in gypsy encampments around Paris learning to play violin, banjo, and guitar for which he played professional at the Bal-musette halls in Paris. Injured in a fire at 18, he was left with paralysis of two fingers which he used for some chords. Despite this, he went on to become one of the most talented and influential guitarists of all time.

His music is deceptively light, full of life, ghostly, and tinted with hints of melancholy if you listen hard enough. Here are a few performances captured on film. Look at all those beautiful cigarettes...


Links:
Django Reinhardt Wiki
RedHotJazz.com
ClassicJazzGuitar.com

WONG KAR WAI's "My Blueberry Nights"


As the festivities begin in Cannes, the trailer for "My Blueberry Nights" which will be opening this year's festival has appeared HERE. The latest from Wong Kar Wai, it is his first English-language film and features Norah Jones, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris, Tim Roth, and David Strathairn.

Wong Kar Wai describes the film as an off the cuff road movie and the film was shot in seven weeks in New York, Memphis, Las Vegas and Ely, Nevada. The idea for the film developed when The Lady from Shanghai (starring Nicole Kidman and set in Russia, Shanghai, & New York) was postponed.

In regard to Norah Jones' acting debut, Wai was so confident in her natural ability and presence that he instructed her not to take acting lessons. My Blueberry Nights has been acquired by the Weinstein Company for American distribution and will premiere today at the opening of Cannes.

EDIT: And here is the trailer...



Links:
New York Times Article
Beyond Hollywood (more pics)
Ultrabrown (more pics)
SlashFilm Article
Trailer - CommeauCinema

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Tuesday 15 May 2007

Introducing CHRIS BURDEN

Chris Burden is a performance artist best known for his works where he challenged the dividing line between audience and art often putting himself in danger to do so. For his most well known performance, Shoot, an assistant from 15 feet shot him in the arm. In another, Trans-fixed, he was nailed onto a Volkswagon beetle. In Through the Night Softly, he slithered shirtless across broken glass which was strangely broadcast on television as advertising(see the clip below).


These kinds of works challenged the audience to intervene. In 1975, he began Doom in which he set a clock set at midnight on a wall and laid himself down under a leaning piece of glass. He stayed there for 45 hours and 10 minutes until a museum employee, Dennis O'Shea, took it upon himself to put water within Burden's reach. Burden stood up, smashed the clock with a hammer and left. This marked a turn in Burden's career.

He moved onto more scientific and political work reconstructing the first television, creating an instrument with which to see the speed of light with The Speed of Light Machine, and crafting his response to Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial in which he engraved three million Vietnamese names onto hinged copper panels as a symbol of the native casualties of the war.

In a time when JackAss, David Blaine, and Jim Rose's Circus are relatively mainstream, I wonder what the future holds for the kind of performances that Burden orchestrated in his early career. Perhaps, Burden knew the answer when he stood up and took the hammer to the clock.

Links:
New Yorker/Peter Schjeldahl
ArtSceneCal/Elenore Welles
Tate-Discussion(mp3)
Chris Burden - Wiki
Ghost Ship
Artforum
Ohio State Univ. Write-up

STUDIO FLYING's "Forest of Nemi" Demo


From South Korean animation group, Studio Flying who created the bizarre and visceral Aachi & Ssipak, comes this demo from 2005 titled "Forest of Nemi". It's available to view HERE. It seems to be the reminants of a scrapped project that has since been overtaken by their new production, Dokkaebi, which is based on Korean mythology.

And in case you've missed it, here is the trailer and first five minutes of Aachi & Ssipak set in a future where the most important fuel is excrement and the government tries to control its citizens with addictive popsicles and monitoring devices:




Links:
Embedded Trailer
Studio Flying
Twitch Article (Source)
Aachi & Ssipak site
Dokkaebi - Wiki

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A Surreal Visitation from TARAKO

I'm afraid this is more advertising, but there is something incredibly captivating about these surreal and sometimes sinister commercials. From Japan, these spots advertise Tarako's noodles and cod roe(eggs) and have become something of a national obsession. It isn't entirely new though it does have incredible staying power.

For those who find this captivating, it might be worth looking up Takashi Miike's The Happiness Of The Katakuris which has a similar surreal, musical feel though the promised menace does on many occasions come to fruition. (Miike is best known in the west for Audition and Ichi The Killer)

Also, don't miss the links below which are equally surreal. The Tarako site also features downloads and addition clips. What I find interesting is not just the surreal visuals, but the gambit of emotional hues these clips manage in a fractional space of time.

Watch this spot with it's melancholy and haunting opening that quickly turns...


Or this visitation...




And witness this child...



Or this child...



Links:
Tarako
Dressuptarako.com
Big In Japan

(source) - thanks

Monday 14 May 2007

LASSE GJERTSEN & GIOVANNI SOLLIMA - Sogno ad Occhi Aperti (Daydream)


This is an incredible video from director Lasse Gjertsen for the italian cellist Giovanni Sollima, on two of his compositions; "Terra Aria" and "Concerto Rotondo". The cello is one of my favourite instruments and the effects and imagery really work well.

LARS VON TRIER Interview Collection


Lars Von Trier has described how depression has left him unable to work so it may be some time before we see a new film from him though his contribution to the collection of 3-minute shorts for Cannes is still yet to be seen. Here's hoping that he turns a corner soon.

As a part of a new series of posts documenting the online interviews of artists, this is a listing of interviews available online with Lars Von Trier. Enjoy.

interviews
GUARDIAN - 22 September 2006
FILMSOCIETY-LINCOLNCENTER - 2006
GUARDIAN - 20 October 2006
SPIEGEL - 15 November 2005
TIME OUT - 28 July 2005
BRIGHTLIGHTSFILM - 2005
FANSITE - Series of interviews
SIGNANDSIGHT - 17 November 2005
BBC Collective - Dogville
INDIEWIRE - 22 September 2000
TIME OUT NY - 27 April 2000 (excerpt)
MOVIECRAZED - circa 2000
DOGME95 - 4 November 1999
STIG BJORKMAN - 1998
DOGME95 - ?

video interviews


Misc.
larsvontrier.net
Statement of Revitality - 2006
Dogme 95
Senses of Cinema Profile
Lars von Trier Fansite
Lars von Trier Wiki

OP ART and the "Worlds" of Art

Bridget Riley, Blaze 3(1963)

In the early 1960s, the emergence of Op Art(or optical/perceptual art) and minimalist works brought forth a number of arguments that are similar in tone to the skirmishes in art today. ArtForum have a fascinating article on the subject HERE. I don't agree with everything in the article, but it is thought provoking.

The separation between the "art world" and the "world world" is something I've never accepted. I believe that being a part of any cloistered "world" pushes artists to adopt aesthetics and beliefs that can hinder their work whether it be the established art community, a specialist online forum, or a closed community.

It's similar to nationalism. Once you've claimed a world as yours, the perspective changes to an us/them mentality that inevitably leads to a blinkered vision whether intended or not. It's also reminiscent of social groupings. Goths are seen as alternative in the culture at large but within this group, it can be extremely conservative in their own aesthetic.

So the solution? I'm still pursuing the answer, but one thing I believe is that a superior alternative to the mentality of us/them is me/them. In other words, think for yourself.

Links:
The Return of Op(Artforum)
Op Art Wiki


Sunday 13 May 2007

SANTO's "Birdman" 60'


Sometimes the restrictions of an advertising mandate produces some great results. The following advertisement from Santo Buenos Aires is an unusual piece which without the requisite logo at the end, could stand on its own. See it below.

And should any of you be wondering about the numerous posts, I'm having something of a clear out of bits and pieces that have accumulated over the past week. Even advertising.

Links:
Santo Buenos Aires (English)
YouTube Post
Neatorama(Source)

JOHAN HOLM(FictionForm)'s "Der Letzter Mann" video for Håkan Lidbo


I seem to be on something a kick as far as minimalist animated videos go, but I quite enjoyed this and Johan's other work is equally fascinating. He has a wide variety of styles across his work and is definitely worth a look at his homepage, FictionForm.

Links:
FictionForm
DailyMotion Profile
Håkan Lidbo/Container

MICHEL, OLIVIER, & PAUL GONDRY


This clip not only features Michel Gondry but is directed by his brother Olivier Gondry and even features some work from his son, Paul. Created by Olivier in conjunction with Partizan and EightFX as part of a new campaign for Hewlett Packard. Have a look...


Links:
Paul Gondry interviewing Michel
Michel Gondry Wiki
Directors Label

Motionographer - HP ad
No Fat Clips - HP ad
Director File -
Article (Source)
Michel Gondry
Olivier "Twist" Gondry
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Måns Swanberg's "GE-996"


This short from director Måns Swanberg with animation and effects by Pistachios has been doing the rounds since last year and has been featured on Stash 21. Pistachios has recently posted it in Flash format at Dailymotion(see below) with the synopsis, "A journey through the Kosmos, witnessing the implosion of the universe and the birth of a god."

His recent work Curare received quite a lot of attention and I was deliberating whether to post, but as much as I enjoyed the visual style and the illustrations of Tomas Nilsson, I was left wondering why they opted for CG.

See GE-996 below or alternatively visit No Fat Clips! HERE where Dek has posted several downloadable sources. Curare and other works from Måns are available via Pistachios or BlacklistTV.

HOWARD KINGSTON's "Glitch - The Girl Who Came Unstuck"


Glitch has been featured in festivals such as Animex 2006 and OneDotZero 10. Howard Kingston, the creator of Glitch has said, "The seed of the idea for Glitch came from that moment when playing a video game that you inadvertently walk through a wall, or whatever it will be....When due to some unforseen action by the player, or some carelessness by the programmer, the illusion of reality fractures."

Saturday 12 May 2007

Interview: SIL VAN DER WOERD


Sil van der Woerd is an independent filmmaker and graduate of the Academy of Arts and Design in Arnhem, Netherlands and attended the Gnomon School of Visual Effects. In 2004, he created Duet and recently released his follow-up Swim. Both works combine live action, effects, and music to carry their narratives and create


Swim - LINK


Duet - LINK


Do you see yourself as an artist, craftsman, or combination of the two? And why?
As an artist. I make films because I want to share a story with an audience, to show them worlds that are inside my head. I don't make films to show that I am able to make them. The precise work of reaching a certain level of detail in the images (to make the imaginative worlds appear convincing) could be called craftsmanship though.

Soundtracks are a dominant feature of your work. Would you explain your choices of music for both Duet and Swim, and how they relate to the shorts as a whole?
I pick the soundtracks to underline the films atmosphere. For Duet, I wanted a combination of classical and modern music, since that was the theme of the film. I chose heavy beats because I wanted every contradictory and energetic element opposite the sweet girl and dragonfly.

For Swim, I wanted a pulsing soundtrack, subtle in it's changes. Cold, almost like the sound of the ramming of piles underwater.

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