Saturday, April 07, 2012

Intelligence Test - The Series



Intelligence Test looks like it is turning in to a series well worth watching!  London based independent illustrator, animator and all round graphic design professional Lee Daniels has created a monkey with real attitude here.  No doubt ripped from his happy jungle home his raison d’être now is to make the life of the scientist testing his intelligence an absolute daily nightmare. And well he should!

Here are the other two animations so far in the series.  We will let you know when we get further adventures in the life of this cheeky test monkey!




Distance



If you like engineering of all kinds, then you will probably love Distance.  I have to admit to being quite entranced by it and its creator, James Linehan, freely admits that his inner nerd was given free rein in its creation.  You can tell – this could only have been made by someone who loves his subject matter so much.

Not only is Linehan (who is currently a broadcast designer for Oxygen TV) a cool animator he also created the soundtrack to go along with this animation (I looked for the band name thinking it was by a well known group of artists but to my surprise discovered it was made by the animator!).  Sit back and take this in – you will at some point come across your favorite mode of transport somewhere in here!


Sarajevo Remembers the 11,541


Sarajevo’s main street was empty of traffic yesterday, save for 11,541 stationary red chairs.  Row after row of chairs lined the street – each one commemorating a man, woman or child killed in the longest siege of modern history.

The day marked the twentieth anniversary of the beginning of the Bosnian war. During that war the city was besieged for an astonishing 46 months. Almost four hundred thousand people were left without electricity, water, heating and often food for almost four years.

Twenty years on and the citizens of this city commemorate their dead in a simple yet remarkable way.  The color of the chairs is reminiscent of the blood which ran in to Sarajevo’s gutters in the 1990s. Yet the thousands of lives lost to shells and sniper fire will never be forgotten by the city’s people.

Image Credit - All pictures by Flickr User Wojtek.


Unexpectedly Funny Things to do with Hamsters When You're Bored


The Ark in Space veers off its usual scientific agenda today by showing us some things to do with hamsters when you're bored. It sounds quite possibly a little scary for the hamsters involved (the one above certainly has a slightly worried look on his face!) but is actually a rather amusing post about a very sweet looking creature.  Plus there are plenty of interesting facts about the little tykes too!

Image by kind permission of Flickr User pyza*


Friday, April 06, 2012

Animated History of Poland - from Expo 2010 - IN FULL



The Polish Pavilion at Expo 2010 quickly drew crowds to see this amazing eight minute animation of the entire history of Poland as a country.  For those of us who heard about it but were unlucky enough not to make it to Shanghai we had to make do with a few thirty second clips on the internet which really really made everyone who saw it want to see the whole version.

Imagine my pleasure when I discovered the full version on Vimeo today.  So, now it's here. The compelling animation traces Poland's history from feudal times to the present day.  You will see the world wars, the partition of the country, Chopin, the rise and fall of Communism, Solidarnosc (solidarity) and much more. To capture the entire history of a nation in just eight minutes is an amazing achievement. If you are not Polish then a number of the dates may not mean a great deal to you.  However, follow this link to Wikipedia's History of Poland page (which is excellent) and you will be able to find explanations behind each of the dates in the animation.

Plus, we are now using a new embed code for video which supports iPad, iPhone, Flash and beyond. So you can watch it on the bus too!

So, go make a drink, sit back and enjoy.  This is quite simply one of the most astounding pieces of animation I have ever seen.

żywa historia Polski  / historia Polska


Thursday, April 05, 2012

Micro Empire



Clemens Wirth likes small things. So someone passed him a microscope and a drop of water and he got on with it. What we get is a fascinating look in to the micro world – and it’s not something that you get to see every day (or would probably care to see if you are even remotely squeamish!).

Yet however much you may want to look away it is really difficult to do so because you might miss something with that extra wow factor.

There is plenty of wow in Wirth’s collaboration with Radium Audio. In his own words: “The real challenge was definitely the small depth of field in microscopy. It’s really fascinating how detailed this tiny world is, and unbelievable how much is going on in only one little water drop.”


Oh, Super



Superman always saves the day – of course, we get that.  Yet what happens once the man of steel has finished his day’s work and retreats back to the Fortress of Solitude for a little rest and relaxation?

He has learned his lesson in the past that it is not in the world’s best interests if he takes his current human love interest back there – somehow it always seems to end in tears... so he has come up with an alternative. There must be some way for him to have company after he has counted his new Twitter followers!

This  funny and very contemporary (notice the John Carter reference) animated short is by director and animator Michael Roberts and is very much a personal fan film.  Created in After Effects and Photoshop, it’s a hoot! Plus it’s a pretty good piece of advertising for the forthcoming Man of Steel reboot next year


Wednesday, April 04, 2012

How do Spiders Eat?



If you are of a nervous disposition, then look away now! The Ark in Space today poses the question just how exactly do spiders eat their prey? My first answer would have been they catch them in their web and then have a good munch.  However, munching aside, that is just the first part in a rather gruesome process which could well cause you a sleepless night or two. To fill you in, the Ark in Space launches gleefully in to a full, (possibly) stomach churning description, together with some amazing macro-photography of spiders and their unfortunate victims. Click any of the links above (or the picture) to read the full article - and please don't have nightmares!

Image Credit Flickr User DJDwayne


Tuesday, April 03, 2012

The Happy Rizzi House


You can only imagine the coughs and splutters from certain more traditional quarters when the idea for the Happy Rizzi House was first mooted to the council of a historical German city.

SpongeBob SquarePants might be happy taking up residence inside its day-glo walls but some of the elders of the ancient German city of Brunswick (Braunschweig in German) were most certainly not amused. Worse still, the planners wanted it to be placed in the city’s most historic area, the Magni quarter. Many were agog that this outrageous idea could even be proposed, let alone accepted.

Yet 15 years later the Happy Rizzi House is part of the city’s landscape and most denizens of Brunswick would be loathe to see it torn down. Just as Saint Paul’s in London was derided when it was first built for being a veritable blot on the landscape and then first slowly accepted then finally adored, the Happy Rizzi House is now a cherished part of Brunswick.

The idea for the Rizzihaus was first proposed during a conversation between artist James Rizzi and gallery owner Olaf Jäschke. Within months the plans had been made and the planning permission given. Architect Konrad Kloster came on board the project and it then took two years to build this remarkable collaboration.

Rizzi, an American pop-artist who died in December 2011, was most famous for his 3D artwork and this is probably his largest piece.  American readers of a certain age may remember him best for his artwork for the cover of the Tom Tom Club's first album (they were an offshoot of Talking Heads).

A riot of colors, shapes and body parts, this is maximalism taken to, well, the max. Rizzi, who was worshiped in Germany as something of a pop art idol, truly pulled out all the artistic stops on the project. No wonder Rizzi was often described as Picasso meets Hanna-Barbera - it is art that can be taken quite seriously while being deliriously absurd at the same time.

The Happy Rizzi House, at first disparaged and scorned by many as infantile and architecture which would bring the town of Brunswick in to disrepute. One does have to nod to the detractors – this house may not have worked in a city said to have been founded in the ninth century. Yet it does, gloriously and happily.

It is now seen as a kind of border.  On one side is the hectic and very twenty first century business sector of the city. On the other lies the tranquil historical district. For all its exuberant silliness, the Happy Rizzi House is something which will still raise a smile in a hundred years.

First image credit Flickr User txmx2


Chainsmoker



It is hard to give up smoking, especially if you have been doing it and enjoying it all your adult life. However, sometimes life can be a little cruel and here an inveterate chain smoker finds herself in sheltered accommodation for the elderly – where smoking is forbidden.  Add to that a caretaker who is more than keep to stop people indulging in their tobacco vices and you have something akin to a geriatric covert operation which, you know, is never going to go well!

Chainsmoker was created Ulf Lundgren of Lost Liner Productions back in 2001 but it has only just seen the light of day in terms of the internet.  I have to say that although it is over a decade old the digital techniques used here still stand up very well indeed. Yet the most important elements of animation – character and plot – ensure that it would still be more than watchable however it was made.


Monday, April 02, 2012

The Sublime Swallowtail


You may be familiar with the Common Yellow and the Western Tiger, but the Swallowtail family of butterflies is much larger and diverse than you may imagine. The Ark in Space is featuring some of the less familiar species, such as the Pipevine and the Chinese Peacock, along with some stunning photographs, and revisit one or two you have perhaps seen before - such as the Giant Swallowtail above.

Image Credit Flickr User TexasEagle


My Brother



Frangin, which loosely translates in to English as bro or my brother, is the story of a young boy who watches his older brother go off to war (it looks like the Great War).  He remembers the times and the fun that they had together and determines that he will make contact with his brother by sending off homing pigeons with messages. So, he waits for a reply...

This rather melancholy animated short was created by Geoffroy Moneyron for his degree project at EMCA Angouleme.

It tells a simple tale and so is simply drawn but its message is rather more profound.


Luminaris



It is not very often that something so simple and yet so delightful crosses our path.  Yet I hope you agree that Luminaris is just that - I haven't sat back and said wow for quite a while, but this short film gave me that opportunity!

Have you ever wanted to escape the rat race? Certainly the protagonist of this silent movie feels that way, if only he could his destiny. Yet in a world controlled and timed by light that isn’t so easy. However, where there is a will, there is a way! There is no day that this short film will brighten up your day (and yes, the pun was intended!).

Luminaris is directed by Pablo Zaramella, an independent director and animator based in Argentina. He has won no end of prizes for his films and commercial and the delightful Luminaris is no exception. The movie won the Audience Award and Fipresci Award at Annecy 2011.


Pumpkin Spring – The Grand Canyon’s Arsenic Pool


Below the rim of the Grand Canyon runs the beautiful Colorado River.  Many take trips down its length but among the majestic scenery is something which they do not quite expect – a huge, enormous gourd-like squash. Jutting out from the canyon wall and perched above the river, this highly unusual formation is known as Pumpkin Spring.

If you raft the river, this hot spring is at mile 212.9 to be exact.  Over the millennia the Pumpkin like spring has grown to the extent that is could be said to resemble something from a Roald Dahl novel. Dahl would probably have approved – although the spring might look enticing it isn’t quite as friendly as it appears.

Pumpkin Spring is a travertine, which is a form of limestone especially deposited by hot springs. It builds up and forms weird shapes, as you can see here and often has a fibrous appearance as if it is made of vegetable matter. This natural bowl spills bitter water into the river but beware of what has been deposited within.

Photograph by kind permission of Flickr User Ben Kimball

The waters inside the pumpkin certainly look deliciously warm, it has to be said.  However, they are not considered safe as they contain high levels of arsenic, not to mention concentrations of copper, zinc and lead.  Although some cannot resist its charms and jump right in, a good shower is recommended afterwards. As for drinking the water, forget it!

It is probably the only truly dangerous water in the Grand Canyon.  Put it this way, the state health standard for safe water is 50 milligrams of arsenic per liter.  The levels at Pumpkin Spring were recently measured and revealed a shocking 1100 milligrams of arsenic per liter.

Arsenic poisoning is not pleasant. It begins with headaches, bewilderment, relentless diarrhea, and lethargy.  If untreated it can lead to vomiting, blood in the urine, cramping muscles, hair loss, stomach pain, coma and death. Of course, a quick dip in Pumpkin Spring would not precipitate any mortal danger but better safe than sorry – look, but don’t dip!

First picture - Flickr User Al_hikesAZ


Sunday, April 01, 2012

The Returning Tree



Kuriositas is known for showcasing animations which might not otherwise get a broad audience on the internet – but it does have to be said that most we show are not intellectually challenging. We enjoy the chases, the escapade and the sheer vibrancy of animation which is made simply for the sake of the audience's amusement – and the laugh out loud element is often vital. However, sometimes animation is more than just that and so it should be – if it cannot at times confront its audience and provoke thought then it does not truly deserve to be considered an art form in its own right.

This being said, take a look at The Returning Tree. This is one of the more perplexing pieces I have come across this year but certainly one of the more visually stimulating and an incitement to contemplation if ever there was one. It was created by Yuri Serizawa as his graduation work at Digital Hollywood. I see it as a powerful extended visual metaphor for hope and the redemption of our species after our millennia long confrontation with nature. Perhaps and then again, maybe some higher power finally got fed up with us. Whatever you think, this is an animation that makes you think. And it’s pretty, too. What do you see?

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