Showing @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 2 Feb only
The Holy Chicken of Love and Music / Nomint / Greece / 2010 / 3mins
No Room for Gerold / Daniel Nocke / Germany / 2006 / 5mins
The External World / David O’Reilly / Germany / 2010 / 17mins
Millhaven / Bartek Kulas / Poland / 2010 / 7mins
Love & Theft / Andreas Hykade / Germany / 2010 / 7mins
Sticky Ends / Osman Cerfon / France / 2010/ 6mins
Spin / Max Hattler / France / 2010 / 4mins
The Lost Town of Switez / Kamil Polak / Poland/France/Canada / 2010 / 21mins
Society is fast becoming immune to the sensationalist headlines disclosing the irreverent behaviour of celebrities, politicians and anybody else unfortunate enough to be under the Sauron-esque watch of the gutter press (ironically typified by the News International fiasco). In a caricatured response The Traverse’s Manipulate presents a collection of short animated films that highlight the everyday hypocrisies of contemporary society and remind us that, just because we can stick our heads in the sand, abuses of power and flagrant corruption are not going to solve themselves.
From the very first film, the senses are berated with an ever-changing tirade of chaotic colours, bizarre yet recognisable characters and plots that seem to make no sense at all but are all too familiar. Whether it’s the haunting streaks of fiery arrows piercing the onyx-like night sky in Kamil Polak’s The Lost Town of Switez or the psychotropic Rorschach-esque graphics of Andreas Hykade’s Love & Theft, there’s so much happening visually, the other senses begin to lose significance.
But Off To The Asylum has a more powerful weapon in its arsenal than the resplendently alluring animation. Wrapped in all the artistry lies a core of intelligent and pertinent social commentary, addressing the often murmured about but never fully confronted controversies of modern life. Max Hattler’s aptly named Spin tackles society’s frivolous and sometimes lackadaisical attitude towards war, delivering a stark reminder of such a deadly occupation. This is balanced by David O’Reilly’s incongruously satirical The External World in which a frog and a monkey ridicule paedophillia and a retiree is beaten with the words “Liberty” and “Freedom”. But whether you wish to engage in political and social discourse, or you simply enjoy the visual feast of modern animation, this collection will both entertain your eyeballs and get you cogitating on the frequently uncomfortable topics custom tries to silence but your conscience cannot ignore.