Animated Media Catalogue

A curated media catalogue, which highlights films and multimedia works with compelling material sensibilities.

Reframing animation history and aesthetics

This catalogue focuses on animated works that embrace the artistic and sensory qualities of their chosen materials. Although most of the catalogue focuses on animated short films, multimedia installations and “protoanimation” objects (such as flipbooks or optical toys) are also included.

Some of the works in the catalogue experiment with different ways to bring materials to life, whereas others draw on the cultural histories of their materials to explore personal and social themes. We do not host or stream films, but we provide curatorial notes and still images for each entry. Films produced by our workshop are accompanied by more comprehensive notes and – in most cases – online viewing links.

We hope that the catalogue will serve as a place of research and inspiration, offering a valuable resource for students, scholars, and film enthusiasts alike.

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  • 11m 0s

    2008

    India
    UK

    Flood of Memories

    Anitha Balachandran

    Flood of Memories recounts the devastating floods in the desert region of Barmer district in Rajasthan during the 2006 monsoons.

  • 2m 50s

    2012

    USA

    Persian Pickles

    Jodie Mack

    Persian Pickles utilises a rapid replacement animation method to create a strobing effect with different samples of paisley-patterned fabric.

  • 6m 20s

    2018

    China

    A Fly in a Restaurant

    Xi Chen

    Xi Chen’s A Fly in a Restaurant (2018) evokes the influential history of Chinese ink wash painting.

  • 9m 10s

    2022

    France

    Shadow of the Butterflies

    Sofia El Khiyari

    Painted ink washes converge and intermingle on the film’s surface, but the water evaporates to leave uneven pigment deposits.

  • 4m 30s

    1999

    Canada

    Sea Song

    Richard Reeves

    Sea Song embraces celluloid film as its canvas, continuing a long tradition of direct animation using India inks.

  • 9m 45s

    2021

    Japan

    Honekami

    Honami Yano

    Honami Yano’s Honekami (A Bite of Bone) accentuates the detailed precision of ink markers.

  • 3m 15s

    2019

    USA

    MOTH

    Allison Schulnik

    Using straight-ahead animation with paint on paper, MOTH explores metamorphosis, fertility, decay, and motherhood.

  • 4m 20s

    2015

    UK

    Hope

    Jane Cheadle

    This stop motion film animates liquid gouache and water on a rotating circular blackboard, which becomes a dynamic canvas of streaks and splatters.

  • 2m 24s

    2022

    Canada

    you feel soft

    Cameron Kletke

    you feel soft was produced during the artist’s time in the Animate Materials Workshop.

  • 3m 0s

    2007

    USA

    White Out

    Jeff Scher

    This energetic ode to wintertime activities uses rotoscope animation to connect movement across disparate paper surfaces, from bright construction paper to recycled notebook pages and scrap receipts

  • 11m 0s

    1949

    Czechoslovakia

    Inspirace

    Karel Zeman

    Inspirace (Inspiration) is a remarkable achievement in stop motion and replacement animation with glass.

Make a Catalogue Recommendation

We welcome recommendations for our curated catalogue. Would you like to suggest an animated media example that demonstrates exciting and interesting engagement with materials?

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