TerminalA hand-drawn animation showing at Platform Artist Run SpaceDownload press release. The latest work by Simon O’Carrigan again displays his love of rough, hand-drawn animation, contrasting starkly to the computer-produced animation we are so used to. Terminal carefully considers the typical looped display of video art, and makes the loop an integral part of the work. Showing at Platform gallery is an unassuming little animation depicting a looped day in the life of an everyman office worker. Transforming the idea of Groundhog Day into Kafkaesque heights of absurdity, the protagonist seems trapped by some form of sleep disorder, unable to escape the grind of the commute and his time in the office. The gallery space, in Campbell Arcade beneath Flinders Street station, is an ideal location for this work, as it is sure to strike a chord with many commuters as they pass by in peak hour. At first glance, the work seems to be a very short (two minutes) loop, however if one lingers longer they will notice that as the days flow by for the protagonist, he seems to fade from existence. It leaves you wondering, how will this Sisyphus manage to complete that ever-replenishing towering pile of paperwork? As you watch the character fade away, you wonder if he has suffered as many paper cuts as the animator must have, to draw by hand the hundreds of individual frames that comprise the animation. Exhibition DetailsPlatform Artists Group Inc. (‘Frame Space’) Screening DetailsTerminal has also screened at the famous giant public screen in Federation Square, Melbourne, in Program 1 of the AUSthetic compilation series. Screenings were repeated at various times in June 2010. |
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The Petrol Can Rider, 2009. Click thumbnails above to view stills. Video will appear online once its festival round is complete. The Petrol Can Rider has screened (or is confirmed to screen in):
The Petrol Can Rider was launched at Bus Gallery, looped on exhibition, in June/July 2009. Download the flyer/invite for details. THE PETROL CAN RIDER (Catalogue essay from launch exhibition, by Martyn Pedler) As I write this, I'm hanging improbably in the air. The map that appears when I press a button on the armrest says I'm almost exactly halfway between Australia and my destination on the other side of the world. Looking closer – the map is unreassuringly staticky – I see that the familiar outline of home has disappeared altogether from the margins of the map. Australia has always been defined in part by its unlikely geography. It's not nicknamed "Down Under" for nothing. The isolation of living at the ends of the earth has also given us a strange, ongoing relationship with the end of the world. George Miller's Mad Max, for example, knew it would barely have to disguise the countryside to imply some kind of apocalypse. Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin's cult heroine from the late-80s, Tank Girl, married a British punk sensibility with an Australian setting, mutated kangaroos and all. The Matrix starred a human population fooled into thinking the world hadn't ended, but like Keanu Reeves' Neo, we knew better – and locals knew the simulations was disguised Sydney streets, too. Worst of all, DC Comics basically blew Australia off the map in its series Invasion!, presumably thinking the rest of the world wouldn't notice. Which brings me, finally, to Simon O'Carrigan's The Petrol Can Rider. This animation continues the tradition of imagining our staggering steps towards the end. His trenchcoated hero needs fuel for his car; that's the only thing we know about him, or that we need to know. Without fuel, the story will be over. His desperation creates its own physics. Eventually, the empty petrol can he clutches itself begins to float, becoming a hopeful vehicle to carry him away. O'Carrigan's piece borrows its story from Franz Kafka's short story The Coal Scuttle Rider. For many, Kafka has become shorthand for grinding, surreal bureaucracy. Does it seem strange, then, for this animation to use the kind of cartoonish logic in which the shockwaves from a dog's bark can knock a man to the ground? People forget that Kafka is funny. It's not so much black comedy as it is a slapstick of the soul. He'd be tickled, I think, with the O'Carrigan's Looney Toons touches. The script for The Petrol Can Rider includes the following line: "To remain still in this world is to be condemned to death". This is true of any animation, of course. Some technologies of animation boast about the massive processing power and rendering times required to make their subjects move. Those giant transforming robots you last saw on the big screen? Press releases excitedly revealed that each frame required over thirty hours to process. O'Carrigan's apocalypse, however, is painstakingly hand-painted and cranked into motion at only 12 frames a second. Any faster than this and we'd risk missing the point. When fuel is so scarce and energy so precious, movement must be precisely calculated. Why would the back half of a dog move just because the front half does in a world collapsing into entropy? Equally, why would we see more of this world than we need to? Whatever's outside this vignette doesn't matter; it certainly doesn't matter to the driver, the merchant, and the dog that populate it. Now, I'm watching the screen in the back of the seat in front of me and its cartoon plane stutter across the simulated map of the Pacific. I imagine that if we ran out of fuel, right now, up at 33,000 feet, we wouldn't fall. We'd hang here, landlocked in the sky like in Looney Toons, until physics finally noticed and animated our descent. Martyn Pedler
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Knife, 2009. Click thumbnails above to view stills. Click here to view video. Knife has been screened on Rage (2009), and featured in the Melbourne Internation Animation Festival (2009), as well as various online venues. |
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Animations from The Drowned World, exhibited as a projection based installation at Shifted Galllery, Richmond, 2008. |
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The works on this page were part of 'Persistence of Vision', 2010. To see the other works in the project, navigate the menu to "Other / Exhibitions > Persistence of Vision". |
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Persistence of VisionIn 2010, Simon received two grants to develop & exhibit a new body of work, returning to his painting and collage practice after working in animation for two years. The project is being developed in two parts. The first, funded by a grant from the City of Yarra, was exhibited at c3 Contemporary Artspace — images and details can be seen below. The second, funded by the City of Melbourne, will be exhibited at Blindside in late 2010 — check the info > forthcoming page for details. |
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Persistence of Vision – Part OneArtist uses animation techniques to render human movement “in-animate”.Visual artist Simon O’Carrigan presents an exhibition of works on paper and canvas at c3 contemporary art space in July-August. O’Carrigan studied painting at the Victorian College of the Arts, and Monash University, before becoming a self-taught animator. His latest films have screened widely at film festivals including the Top 100 Australian Shorts program of the 2010 St Kilda Film Festival. He now returns to works on paper and canvas, and is using the skills gained as an animator to deconstruct human movement. The term Persistence of Vision is common in film and animation theory. It describes the phenomena that the human eye, though seeing a series of still frames flashing for a fraction of a second, interprets movement. Movement of this kind is trickery! Indeed, the imagery in this exhibition depicts people attempting sporting tricks – skateboarding, basketball shots. O’Carrigan collates these frames, that would otherwise form an animation, onto one layer of imagery. He sidesteps the trickery, defeats it – little wonder that his skaters fail their tricks, and basketballers miss their shots. Exhibition Details:Persistence of Vision – Part One
Related Links:www.abbotsfordconvent.com.auwww.c3artspace.blogspot.com Downloads |
Installation views of The Drowned World at Shifted Gallery, Richmond, 2008. Animation samples can be found under the animation category. |
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| Curriculum Vitae | |
| Education | |
| 2007 | Monash University: BFA Honours (Painting) |
| 2006 | Victorian College of The Arts : BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts: Painting) |
| Exhibitions | |
| 2010 | ‘The Persistence of Vision — Part Two’, Blindside Aritst Run Initiative, Room 14, Level 7, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne. (Forthcoming: 28 October—15 November 2010.) |
| ‘Exquisite Palette’, St Luke Artist Colourmen, 32 Smith Street, Collingwood. | |
| 'The Bear Cycle', Melbourne Propaganda Window, Michael Koro Galleries, 110 Franklin Street, Melbourne. 2 July-1 August. | |
| ‘The Persistence of Vision— Part One’, C3 Contemporary Art Spaces, Abbotsford Convent. (Forthcoming 21 July — 8 August 2010.) | |
| 2009 | City of Hobart Art Prize, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Hobart. |
| The Petrol Can Rider. Bus Gallery, 117 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. | |
| CCP Kodak Salon, Centre For Contemporary Photography. Fitzroy. | |
| Off The Wall, Emerging Artist Showcase, Art Melbourne '09. Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton, Melbourne. | |
| 2008 | Somnambulist. Victoria Park Gallery, Johnston Street, Abbotsford. |
| The Drowned World. Shifted Gallery, Lvl 1, 15 Albert Street, Richmond. | |
| Painting '08. Brunswick Street Gallery, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. | |
| Melbourne and Other Myths. City Museum, Spring Street, Melbourne. | |
| 2007 | The Bigger Picture. Runt Gallery, Monash University, Caulfield. |
| Elisions. Solo Exhibition. Runt Gallery, Caulfield. | |
| Hatched '07 at P.I.C.A. (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts) | |
| Proud. VCA Margaret Lawrence Galleries, Southbank. | |
| 2006 | People and Places Group Show. Mad Gallery, Lancefield. |
| Proud. VCA Margaret Lawrence Galleries, Southbank. | |
| 2005 | The Self Portrait Show. Artholes Gallery, 114 Gertrude St, Fitzroy. |
| VCA Painting Department Show. Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank. | |
| Proud. VCA Margaret Lawrence Galleries, Southbank. | |
| Slips of The Mind. Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts. | |
| Screenings | |
| 2010 | MUFF (Melbourne Underground Film Festival). 1000 £ Bend, 361 Lt Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. The Petrol Can Rider screened in Mini MUFF Session 1, 7pm, 22/8/2010. |
| Revelation Film Festival, Perth. The Astor Theatre, Mt Lawley, Western Australia. 8-18 July. The Petrol Can Rider screened in the Animation Showcase, Tuesday 13 July. | |
| MIAF (Melbourne International Animation Festival), ACMI Cinemas, Federation Square Melbourne. 19-27 June. The Petrol Can Rider screened as part of the Australian Showcase. | |
| AUSthetic, Plaza Screen, Federation Square, Melbourne, June 5-12 2010. Terminal was included in Program 1, screened on the famous main public screen in Federation Square Plaza. | |
| The St Kilda Film Festival, Palace George Cinemas, St Kilda, VIC, May 28 2010. The Petrol Can Riderscreened in Session 5 of the Top 100 Australian Short Films. | |
| Australian International Animation Festival, Forum 6 Cinemas, Wagga Wagga NSW, May 15 2010. The Petrol Can Rider screened as part of the Australian Panorama. | |
| The Animation Club, Channel 31, Melbourne. (The Petrol Can Rider screened on May 3 2010, with two repeats). View the program online here. | |
| 2009 | Australian International Animation Festival (Touring Program associated with Melbourne International Animation Festival). Screened in Mercury Cinema, Adelaide; Civic Playhouse, Newcastle; Latrobe University Visual Arts Centre, Bendigo. |
| Electric Shorts, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Loop Bar & Cinema, Meyers Place, Melbourne. (A festival dedicated to independent filmmakers, entry is restricted to films that are fully self funded). | |
| Sydney International Animation Festival, University Hall Cinema, University of Technology, Sydney. (Be Famous & Die included in Australian Showcase). |
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| Be Famous & Die. Australian Panorama, Melbourne International Animation Festival, ACMI, Melbourne. 22-28 June. | |
| Knife. Music Video Competition, Melbourne International Animation Festival, ACMI, Melbourne. 22-28 June. | |
| Cremorne Gardens shown in 'Small Worlds', The Substation Theatre, Singapore. Curated by Jacqueline Felstead in collaboration with Objectifs. 11 June. | |
| 2008 | Brisbane International Animation Festival - State Library of Queensland |
| Canberra Short Film Festival (Youth Finals) - Dendy Cinemas, Canberra | |
| Electrofringe - "TAPR Eye & Ear Control" Civic Playhouse, Newcastle | |
| Tape Projects - DVD 'Zine #04 Launch, Carlton, Melbourne | |
| 2007 | Tape Projects - Nanhai Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 123 TV - Channel 31, Melbourne. | |
| 2006 | Tape Projects - Horse Bazaar / DVD Zine |
| 2005 | 123 TV - Channel 31, Melbourne. 'Avatar' video/animation work. |
| 24seven Gallery Video Night. Glitch Bar, 318 St Georges Rd, Nth Fitzroy. | |
| Kiss My... After Effects. Public video projections, Carlton & Fitzroy. | |
| Prizes & Grants | |
| 2010 | City of Melbourne Young Artists Grant (For development of animation inspired mixed-media exhibition titled ‘The Persistence of Vision’, and exhibition at Blindside ARI) |
| City of Yarra Young Artists Grant (For development of animation inspired mixed-media exhibition titled ‘The Persistence of Vision’, and exhibition at C3 Gallery) | |
| 2009 | CCP Kodak Salon — Most Innovative Use of Photomedia |
| 2008 | City Of Melbourne Arts Grant Program (As part of Melbourne & Other Myths at the City Museum @ Old Treasury.) |
| 2006 | NAVA 'Ignition' Prize – National Association for the Visual Arts prize for Professional Practice. |
| Commissions | |
| 2009 | "Knife" animated music video for Martin Martini & The Bone Palace Orchestra. |
| 2008 | "Be Famous & Die" as part of Melbourne & Other Myths. City Museum @ Old Treasury, Melbourne. |
| Bibliography | |
| 2010 | Ozanimate. 9/07/2010. Simon O’Carrigan – The Petrol Can Rider. Online journal. |
| 2009 | ABC 774 Melbourne Radio, The Conversation Hour "Drawing You In…"". 17/06/09 |
| Three Thousand. 24/06/09. Patrick Collins. The Petrol Can Rider by Simon O’Carrigan. | |
| mX Melbourne, 23/06/09. "Animated Discussion on Fame and Misfortune Gets Screen Test." | |
| 3CR 855am Community Radio, Melbourne. Jump Cuts. Interview. 9/07/09. | |
| 2008 | The Age, Melbourne. 11/7/08. Rohan Trollope. “The Weekend Starts Here (Art)”. |
| MX Melbourne. 2/7/08. “Not Drowning, Animating”. | |
| Three Thousand. 2/4/08. Max Olijnyk, Melbourne, And Other Myths. Review. | |
| 2007 | Cyclic Defrost. Issue 18, 2007. Adrian Elmer, Tape Projects Review. |
| Blue Mountains Gazette. 19/9/07. “Art Acclaim Builds from Trickle to a Flood”. | |
| Published Texts | |
| 2009 | Un Magazine 3.1. Tape Projects Residency Part 1 Flipbook/Lockgroove. Review. |
August 2010MUFF: The 11th Melbourne Underground Film FestivalThe Petrol Can Rider makes it seventh festival appearance – not bad for a 'no-budget' film made by a untrained animator! Festival runs August 20-28, across three venues. The Petrol Can Rider plays as part of the 1st 'Mini MUFF' Session, 7pm, Sun 22 August, at 1000 £ Bend, 361 Lt Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC. Full details at at the MUFF website. October–November 2010Persistence of Vision — Part TwoBlindside Artist Run Space Blindside Artist Run Space |
Biography
May 2010
Simon O’Carrigan works across animation, collage, drawing and painting. Simon completed his formal studies in 2007. In the same year his painting Final Days was exhibited in PICA’s national graduate exhibition ‘Hatched’, and he was awarded NAVA’s Ignition award for graduating art students.
Since 2008, Simon has exhibited widely across Melbourne, and been included in interstate prize exhibitions. Having formally studied painting at the Victorian College of the Arts and at Monash University, his transition to working with animation surprised some of his peers. However he is quick to point out that he made his first hand-drawn, cel-style animation at the age of fourteen. It was twelve frames long, ran for one second, and took two months to make. He is slightly faster at animating now.
Simon’s animated works have screened in The Melbourne International Animation Festival, Brisbane International Animation Festival, Sydney International Animation Festival, Electric Shorts (Melbourne Fringe Festival), and overseas. They have also been televised on Channel 31’s 123 TV and The Animation Club.
He has also shown animated and other works in Melbourne artist run spaces (Bus Projects, Shifted, Victoria Park Gallery, Blindside), The City Museum of Melbourne, and has shown works in Taiwan with the help of artist collective Tape Projects.
In 2010 Simon is the grateful recipient of two grants (from the City of Yarra, and City of Melbourne) to develop and exhibit a new body of work. Building on his experience working in animation in the last few years, Simon will reverse engineer the process of creating movement from still images. He will create still images from movement instead, in a series of collages, paintings and other two-dimensional works. The project as a whole will focus on human movement.
Whilst he is not currently working on animation, his 2009 film The Petrol Can Rider is set to screen in The St Kilda Film Festival, The Melbourne International Animation Festival, The Australian International Animation Festival (a touring program), and more locations to be announced.
Simon lives and works in Melbourne. He spends most of his waking hours listening to PBS 106.7FM.
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