To begin this lecture we’re given a definition of abstract as a basis for understanding the media we are to dissect: the most succinct definition of abstract would be that it depicts something that can only be appreciated intellectually, as opposed to a concrete, measurable concept, object or event. My favourite definition given, however, was that “[to abstract is] To develop a line of thought from a concrete reality to a general principle or an intellectual idea” (Mairs, 2024), because I think this process of abstraction and how it is achieved is particularly pertinent to animators and designers, whose purpose professionally is to bring a theoretical world of abstract, distant concepts and happenings unbound by the laws of the universe to life through colour and motion.
Formative abstraction is essentially the process of abstracting existing concepts and bringing abstract concepts into relative being – one in which the artist’s involvement is “essentially investigative and may not have a predetermined outcome but must be grounded in the intellectual pursuit of applying a theory or initial objective… there is an integral link between conceptual application and technical advancement in the innovation of film in particular”. (Mairs, 2024).
This example of a conceptually abstract short film by Max Hattler, Serial Parallels, I initially on watching might be a reference to parallel universe theory, positioning each window and balcony as a door to a universe as defined and organised by the family who resides within. It wasn’t until I realised Hattler was uploading his own work onto Vimeo that I saw the description he wrote himself, proving me completely wrong:
“This experimental animation by Max Hattler approaches Hong Kong’s built environment from the conceptual perspective of celluloid film, by applying the technique of film animation to the photographic image. The city’s signature architecture of horizon-eclipsing housing estates is reimagined as parallel rows of film strips: Serial Parallels.
“This captivating architectural animation draws a dizzying portrait of Hong Kong’s urban environment. Through the lens of the animated film, each floor or window corresponds to a film frame. The colors follow one another in a repetitive and rhythmic movement that plunges us into a meditative state that is both gentle and anxiety-provoking… It is only when the sky appears to us that we can finally breathe the air we desperately miss as we climb the floors of these overcrowded towers.” Jury Statement, Honorary Mention (Computer Animation), Prix Ars Electronica, 2020″. Max Hattler (2019) Serial Parallels (2019, Max Hattler). 19 August. Available at Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/589324922 (Accessed: 11/10/2024). Anxiety-provoking indeed, watching the short film makes me feel trapped in a humid, grey, indifferent cityscape and devoid of any sense of direction with no sky to tell me how far I am from breaking the surface.
The embedded video links to an abstract, conceptual film by Max Hattler titled X, an animated water projection depicting the seemingly random, fluid transformation and division of shapes, the storyline, purpose and patterns behind which are all intangible and ambiguous. This note from the creator provides almost no context: “The unknown X becomes a whole symphony of shapes… In a universe where everything is by itself yet can intersect with each other, cross-action seems the best way to solve an unknown equation.” (Hattler, M. (2012) MaxHattler. Available at: http://www.maxhattler.com/x/ (Accessed: 11/10/2024).) I liked watching this, while it essentially leads nowhere and serves a purpose beyond my immediate comprehension, I found the film futuristic in aesthetic and communication style, and the use of water projection incredibly clever – I’m never comfortable providing a definitive read on media such as this because I’m always convinced the key is in the abstraction, as in there’s almost certainly a point to it that I’m missing, communicated in intentionally obfuscated style to make fools of people like me.
Nathan Boey (2022) Pass the Ball. 24 January. Available at Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/669475821 (Accessed: 11/10/2024).
The above video is a collaborative project between 40 animators, all responding to the same concept: catch the ball and throw it to someone in another country. I loved this video, I love seeing the sometimes extreme contrast between different people’s work, how they respond to such an open-ended concept, and how they articulate their ideas as creative and independent thinkers. There’s also something especially beautiful about seeing artists in such a competitive field volley between each other and work in a way that supports the previous person’s vision, rather than trying to compete in order to outshine each other. In some cases, the animators chose to respond to the brief in a way that obfuscates and abstracts the original intention, turning the ball into something else entirely for the sake of their creative communication style or treating it in ways that defy the laws of physics (squashing it like an insect, turning it into a planet, plucking it from the sky)
References
Hattler, M. (2012) MaxHattler. Available at: http://www.maxhattler.com/x/ (Accessed: 11/10/2024).
Max Hattler (2012) X (by Max Hattler) KXFS Canal Commission. 10 September. Available at Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rSLcNznix4&list=PLEC82AAAA3A1A4567 (Accessed: 11/10/2024).
Max Hattler (2019) Serial Parallels (2019, Max Hattler). 19 August. Available at Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/589324922 (Accessed: 11/10/2024).
Nathan Boey (2022) Pass the Ball. 24 January. Available at Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/669475821 (Accessed: 11/10/2024).
Nigel Mairs (2024) ‘Week 3: The Avant Garde. Experimental, Abstract Constructs and Analysis’ [Lecture]. PU002333: MA 3D Computer Animation: Design for Animation, Narrative Structures and Film Language. London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. 10 October.